JAIL
by Unknownred
Summary: Have you been circumsiced?" Sakura asked. Everyone froze. His fan girls froze, the teachers and even time seemed to freeze. A/N: Story is on hold for the time being.
1. When He Left

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

I do not own Naruto!

Ch. – When He Left

Sakura hasn't been the lucky girl she had used to be before she was put in jail for a short time. Sakura had pink hair but had black highlights on the sides. She had bright emerald eyes, pale face with rosy cheeks and she had a vine tattoo criss-crossing around her left arm. She wore a green outfit that had pink underneath it.

After transferring jail to jail, Sakura became known as the girl 'not to be messed with' or as fan girls would say 'slut' or 'whore' or even more annoying foul names. Now that she is out and is attending a school for wealthy, spoil people known as Konoha Wealth Academy.

Sakura walked to the gate that led to the entrance of the school. Wealthy people were scattered around laughing, talking or either making out. Their uniforms were either unbuttoned or just showed more cleavage that you can imagine. Sakura walked onto the courtyard and went inside the school. Her uniform was different. She wore black tights, a pink tank top underneath a black halter top, and a jean skirt. Her left arm wore a long glove that covered her tattoo. Her hair was pulled up, also she wore flats.

Some girls stopped what they were doing and observed the new girl.

"What a pity?" one girl that had long blond hair, green eyes, and a tiny mole on the side of her lip said.

"Yeah, she's out of style! Who forgot to give her the memo?" another girl giggled, that had short brown hair and brown eyes. Her nose seemed to look sort of broken.

"Like ew!" laughed another girl, that auburn hair and hazel brown eyes. She's the tallest from the others.

Sakura walked pass them but stopped as one of the girls that laughed at her, pushed her aside and ran, giggling towards a guy.

"Gaara, darling! You're back from your trip. I missed you!" said the first girl, hugging a boy with red hair, black eyes and had a tattoo on his head. He wore a black jacket, a dark green shirt, jeans and adidas.

"Missed eh? Seems to me like she went out with another guy when he was away." Muttered Sakura, aloud.

The girl gasped and glared at Sakura, "What?"

Sakura smirked, "What a pity?" and brushed past the girl's shoulder.

The girl clinged to Gaara, mouth dropped as Gaara's eyes widen a bit at Sakura's retreating form.

~flash back~

It was Sakura's first time getting a tattoo in jail. The bad people there dragged her to the tattoo-ist.

"Ne? When did I agree to this?" Sakura asked unsure.

"Come on, it doesn't hurt!" one said.

"Yeah the most painful tattoo is the piercing." Said another.

Sakura's eyes widen as they locked her down into a chair and went into the other room.

"Hey wait! I didn't ask for this! I didn't agree!" she yelled.

Then in the corner of the room, a door slammed, out came a boy with red hair and dull eyes and had a tattoo on his head.

"Ne? Who are you?" Sakura gasped.

Behind him was one of her companions, "she's all your for the evening." Then he crossed over to her and laughed, "Don't worry sweet cheeks, 'k?" then he patted her cheek, and left.

"You BASTARD! FUCK YOU TO HELL!" Sakura yelled.

While they got started, Sakura was patient and grumbled the whole way while the guy was tattooing her. He was quiet, she noticed, and looks sad.

"M-my name is S-Sakura Haruno. What's your name?" she asked him.

His eyes flashed over to her. Sakura blinked. His eyes turned hard. He stopped what he was doing.

"J-just making conver---" Sakura muttered then quickly looked down at her locket that hung from her neck.

He started again and through out the hours, he finally muttered his name, "Gaara."

Sakura looked at her arm, a vine was drawn and she wondered why he hadn't tattooed her something like a dragon.

"Vines stay strong!" he said.

Sakura smiled up at Gaara, "Thank you."

Gaara eyes widen a bit at Sakura, and then softened, "Your welcome."

It was the first time he said that to a girl. And that started their friendship; Gaara knew little about Sakura and Sakura grew to love Gaara.

"Gaara-nii!" Sakura skipped to the counter. She had visited him everyday after the tattoo conversation…sort of.

Gaara sighed, "Sakura."

"What's wrong? Tell me, I'll listen." She said in her child play voice.

"I-its nothing." He said suddenly and patted her head. She pouted.

"Are you sick?"

"No."

"Tired? Heart broken? Did someone die?" she gasped at her last guess.

"No-o-o-o." he sighed again and rummaged his hand through his hair, "I'm… going on a trip."

"A trip? What kind?" she asked curiously.

"A long trip, far away." He said.

"When are you coming back?" she asked.

"….well lets see… when you keep on staying strong while I'm gone. I'll be back." Then he slowly walked to the back room and he left.

~end of flash back~

Gaara's eyes flashed as he shoved the girl off and ran after Sakura.


	2. What I Don’t Understand

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

I do not own Naruto!

Ch. 2– What I Don't Understand

Sakura headed to the office and got her stuff and went roaming through the halls when the bell rung for class. Sakura leant on the wall watching as the hall was filled with students going to their classes and disappearing one by one. Sakura sighed. She was so used to this. She remembered how she used to be a student before she went to jail.

'"Get the fuck away from me, forehead!" said a girl with bright red hair, she had freckles on her cheeks and she green hazel eyes. She wore a brown turtleneck shirt and blue flared pants. Her hair was everywhere.

Sakura wasn't really following her but she had to make sure the rumor wasn't true. There were rumors flying everywhere about 'forehead girl is not innocent as you think she is' or 'forehead girl is actually a lesbian' or more than you or anyone can think of. Sakura was a big hit! Sakura bit her lip and hugging her books against her chest as she followed the girl.

"Oh my god, stop stalking me freak!" said the girl as she hurried her pace, "What the hell is you problem?" as she stopped walking.

"Eris, please I just want to if…the rumors are true about what they say about me?" Sakura asked.

"Hell they are; you keep stalking me. You really are a lesbian! Look sorry to say, I'm straight. Now go away, I don't want to see your ugly face again!" then she ran off, screaming that Sakura is actually a lesbian and that she started stalking her.

Sakura sighed and thought, "What is wrong with me? I knew this was a bad idea but I had…I had to know the truth."

And so she did. She followed and asked if the other rumors were true about what people said about her. All true now that she thought about it except the part where she was a lesbian and the part where it leads to her fucking guys in bed. Sakura sighed once more; she only wanted to know why they would say such things about her when they don't know a thing about her. She didn't know where she was walking until she bumped into a guy.

"Hey now, watch where you're going!" the guy said and looked down. He seemed to recognize Sakura as he gasped and said, "You're that freak girl, the one with the huge forehead. Is it really true that you stole your best friend's boyfriend?"

Sakura gasped. She backed away from him, "N-no, it isn't true. It isn't true!" then she turned and before she ran away from him, he grabbed her arm.

"Wait! If you want to see if the rumors are true then come with me in the classroom and I'll show you what they said about you." He said, hiding his smirk.

"Um…I'm not sure that's a good ide--" she said but he cut her off by leading her to a empty classroom.

He smirked behind her as she went to a desk. She furrowed her brows; there was nothing there except some classroom books and a poster of the principal. She turned to him, but when she did the guy grabbed her and she screamed. It seemed someone outside the classroom heard her scream but wasn't sure and went in to find Sakura pushing the guy against the wall.

"Oh my god." The 'someone' gasped with widen eyes, pushed Sakura away and ran to the guy making sure he was alright.

"I…I didn't… he tried to—"she gasped, taking a step back to regain her balance.

"What were you trying to do?" said the student then the student gasped, "Oh my god, the rumors are true! Stop trying to fuck every guy in school, you freak!"

Sakura's eyes widen, her mouth dropped a bit lower. She felt her knees 'wanting' to unbuckle as she took a step back, "It wasn't me! He tried to… to…" she swallowed, "I---" She wasn't able to finish as the student yelled out, 'help the freak is here the freak is here!' Someone else came, witnessing what was happening. Sakura stood on the side and look at each of their faces then lastly looked at the guy's face. He held a smirk that widen as her eyes widen at the shock came. Her breathing started slow as she took steps back and then swiftly turned and ran out the classroom.

"It's not true!" she said before she ran out of the room. She ran down the halls where everyone stopped and stared after her, whispering to each other about her.

"There's that freaky girl with the huge forehead again! I heard she was trying to fuck a guy in an empty classroom when suddenly someone caught her in the act." A girl said behind her as she passed them.

"Oh my god, what a slut!" said another girl beside her.

Sakura ran out of the hallway and passed the office when she stopped to overhear a mother talking to her youngest child.

"Darling, see that girl, that's why girls like you should never be influenced from a girl like her. It turns out the rumors that were going out through out the school happen to be true." Said the mother who said to her child in the ear quite aloud.

"No it's not _true!_" Thought Sakura.

Sakura couldn't take anymore of this as she started off again, out of the school and ran somewhere where she didn't know. She ran and ran; tears were at the brims of her eyes. She then stopped as she was now near the highway that had a bridge for cars to go to the other side. She stood near the river and finally let her tears fall. Her face was red from all the crying but not just that, from the embarrassment.

She didn't hear the sirens of the police car, and two polices yelling at her to raise her hands above her head and to stay where she was. She then realized as one of them grabbed her arm but in alarm, thinking someone was going to rape her, the police tackled her to the ground, making her struggle.

"No! I didn't do it! I didn't do it! I didn't---" she said but then the police cut her off by tranquilizing (sp) her.

Sakura fell to the ground as they took her, put her in the car, and drove her to her new _home, _called the jail cell.

"Sakura?" said a calm voice behind her. Sakura glanced back and saw Gaara walking slowly up to her.

Sakura sighed. She was holding her tears, hoping he wouldn't notice but he did. Gaara stopped and look at her. She bit her lip.

"What are you doing here?" she said, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I came… back." He said slowly.

"Yeah I see that." She said, "Why?"

Gaara furrowed his brows, "What?"

"Why did you come back?" she asked.

"I thought you wanted me back." He said.

"No… I… don't." she whispered and walked, brushing his shoulder.


	3. When I Am Strong

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

Ch. 3 – When I Am Strong

Gaara stood there shocked as his heart was somehow staying calm. He furrowed his eyes brows, his lip quivering at the words Sakura said before she left.

_"No…I…don't." she whispered and walked, brushing his shoulder._

Gaara slowly turned around to see Sakura go in the office and out a second later. The bell rang as he watched students fill the hallways and crowded Sakura until he couldn't see no more. As everyone started going to their classes, Sakura was no where to be found. He sighed and then took a step forward then another until he felt his body functioning again.

As students filed around Sakura, she got lost in the crowd that she didn't actually know where she was headed. When the last of some students around her went away, she found herself outside in a garden area.

"What the? Where am I? A garden?" she thought to herself.

She walked over to a nearby bridge that was built over a small pond and in the pond had some gold fishes, two turtles, and a fake plastic frog floating on the water. Sakura laughed at the frog and shook her head. She then crossed over the bridge and walked onto a path that led her to a small vineyard. The walls were surrounded by vines creeping up its walls. She blinked. The garden was…ugly.

"Wow. Who planted a garden here and hasn't taken care of it…I suggest a year or two. This place is really… a joke!" she thought aloud.

She then stepped around a big bush and went explore around. The second bell had ringed but Sakura had not heard it for she was too occupied with her surroundings.

"Man this is like the book I read once when I was little. It was about a girl discovering a secret garden and taking care of it…then after awhile it blossomed and she had a few friends that were also into the secret." thought Sakura once more, "I wonder if I can be like that girl."

Sakura started to think her younger thoughts as if she was still six years old dreaming of a fairytale.

"Maybe if I took care of the garden, it'd become beautiful and I'd keep this as a secret. But I have no friends…except for… Gar--- no! Must not think about him! I must become strong!"

Sakura felt bad for turning Gaara down like that, but she had a reason why she said no to him.

"I'm sorry. But I'm not strong yet. _Not strong yet._" she thought sadly. She then sighed and the whole moment thinking about what she did to Gaara made her feel guilty inside and that brought her to lacking off the idea of taking care of the garden. She swallowed.

Sakura then walked to a building and went through its doors. She looked around herself and sighed, great I'm lost, she thought.

"Hey you!" called out a voice from around the corner near her, "Aren't you supposed to be in class? What's your name?"

Sakura blinked and tilted her head, "What?"

"I said, who are you and---" he continued but Sakura rolled her eyes and interrupted him, "Yeah I heard you the first time."

"I'm lost." she said.

"Class then?" he asked.

"I don't know. The office said to go to the new wing." she said.

The guy looked at her weirdly and rolled his eyes, "You are in the new wing, duh."

Sakura raised her brow, "Really I haven't noticed. I'm just so used to this kind of thing. Sorry to bother you." She said and looked around, "Now which class was it?"

The guy looked at her weirdly again and then something struck him, "You're the new girl aren't you?"

_"You're that freak with the huge forehead!" said the guy._

Sakura gasped inwards. She looked down. "N-n…yeah, I Am." Her heart fell as she sighed. The guy smiled a little smile.

"I'm Kiba." he introduced himself to her.

Sakura eyes widen, "Uh…Sakura." She couldn't believe her ears…why was she telling this Kiba guy her name? She barely knew him.

"Come with me. You're next door to my class." he said and led her to a room around the corner.

Sakura made sure to stay a couple of feet behind him, sure enough nothing happened. She went in the class filled with students and a missing teacher. Sakura stood there, not wanting to be the class' attention. As soon as she thought that, the teacher came in and past her.

"Okay class, shut up and listen. I went down to the office but I couldn't find her. Sorry to say that the new student will not be joining us this pretty afternoon field trip today." said the teacher.

Sakura gasped inward, "A field trip?" she thought. There was a cough behind her and she remembered Kiba led her to the class. "Crap." she thought.

The teacher turned to the cough and spotted Sakura and Kiba.

"Oh? And who do we have here? Kiba and…who are you?" she said directly at Sakura.

"…" Sakura stared blankly at her, hoping the class wasn't staring at her but apparently she was wrong, the whole class was staring at her.

"She's the new girl. I found her wandering around looking for her class." Kiba said for her.

Sakura swallowed as the teacher nodded slowly. The teacher said come here to Sakura but since Sakura was too spaced out the teacher went over to her, circled around her, observing her.

"Pink hair? How unusual?" muttered the teacher, "Well I'm Anko, your new teacher. If you have any questions or whatever just come to me, ask me or whatever."

"Yes ma'am." she muttered.

The teacher smiled at Sakura, "Well at least we have one person that respects me."

Sakura swallowed avoiding everyone's glare on her. As they got readied up onto the bus Sakura sat in the front. She overheard some girls talking about her except one.

"Pink hair? Who has _pink_ hair? Besides that…who would want _pink_ hair?" said a girl with green hair.

"Who can stand green hair? I feel like I want to puke." thought Sakura which made her chuckle at her joke.

"She's just a freak."

_'Help, the freak is here, the freak is here!"_

Sakura chuckled turned into a frown as she look out her window. Her reflection was saddened at the memory. Sakura's eyes drooped. She looked in the reflection in the window and gasped. Someone had sat beside her. Red hair… a tattoo on his head…dull black eyes. _Gaara._

"What do you want?" Sakura whispered that only Gaara could hear her.

"Why would you think that?" he whispered back.

"Go sit someplace else." she said, trying to hide her sadden look.

"Why?"

"Gaara… I just…don't want you sitting here that's all." she said softly trying her best not to hurt his feelings and trying to hurt his feelings so he can leave her alone.

Gaara knew what she was trying to do so he stayed put. Sakura made an inwards groan.

Finally the bus was moving and on their way to the field trip. The ride was loud for Sakura to hear some of the gossip or rude comments about the 'new girl' behind her.

"I wouldn't want pink hair. I'd look like a freak!" giggled a girl.

Sakura grounded up her hands into fists. Gaara noticed.

"Pink hair is for looo-serrrs!" laughed another girl.

Sakura tried controlling her anger. Gaara turned towards Sakura.

"Maybe someone popped a bubble gum onto her hair and it just became her new look." said another girl that sat behind the other girls.

A vein popped out of Sakura's head as she was ready to pound that girl in the face.

"I think her hair looks…nice." muttered a girl, "Like a cherry tree…blossoming."

That caught Sakura's attention. Sakura whipped her head around to see a girl with blue hair and a cute facial; her eyes were visible but she looked cute. Sakura lips parted, her anger had subsided. The girl smiled sweetly at Sakura. Sakura hadn't felt this way for a long time. Sakura felt like crying. Sakura felt the need to cry… maybe this is the reason why she was kept low and out of control. Why everyone kept treating her like she was a no body like she was dirt…but this girl… made her want to be someone.

Realizing it, Sakura thought of the garden. How it was dead, hanging there, no one caring for it. Maybe Sakura was like the garden. And all it needed was someone to come by and take care of it like this girl was telling her that she was a someone and that she should be treated as a person.

_"Thank you." _ Thought Sakura, she could feel tears coming but she didn't care if they fall because it meant something. Something very good…and she felt the need to be… strong again.


	4. Wouldn’t You Want To Know

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

Ch. 3 – Wouldn't You Want To Know

As they got off the bus, Sakura looked around herself. They were at a shrine park. Anko then gathered the students together and separated them in pairs, but Sakura wasn't with them; she was too busy wandering about.

"Everyone got their partners?" everyone nodded, "Okay, everyone meet back here when this big bell rings," she said pointing at a big bell on top of the shrine building, "Oh! And this bell is so loud that you'll fall over so ya'll better get your butts back here!"

"Yes Anko sensai." Muttered the blue hair girl as she turned around, "Sakura chan…eh?" to find her partner not there, "Nani?"

(A/N: um in ch. 3 Anko already told the class who Sakura was, the new student.)

Sakura got so occupied that when she looked back, her eyes widened, "Ah crap!" She had gotten herself lost.

After trying to retrace her steps, Sakura gave up and sat at a big root of a gigantic tree. On the branches of the tree, it had folded pieces of paper tied to it. Sakura's eyes widen as she looked all the way up. There were millions of papers dangling off the tree.

"That's a wishing tree you're under." Said a familiar voice.

Sakura gasped and snapped her head to the voice. It was that guy from earlier, Kiba.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" he asked.

Sakura shook her head, not moving from her seat. Kiba smiled as his eyes trailed to the tip of the tree.

"This is a wishing tree. See these folded paper dangling off the branches?" he said as she nodded.

"These are people's wishes like a wishing well except it's different. A wishing well is when people make a wish and throw a coin in the well. Here, you write your wish, fold it and tie it to a branch; any branch in fact." He explained, walking towards the tree where she sat.

Sakura watched him as he placed his hand on the tree's bark and continued to speak.

"This wishing tree isn't just a tree. It's something more. Something that makes smiles appear on our faces, something that makes our hearts pound, something that makes the air feel light. That something is…pride."

At that moment, Sakura felt calm and relieved but when the last sentence came out of his mouth, she knew it wasn't pride but something more. Belief? No…it was faith.

"Sakura chan?" muttered the girl who came upon them. She gasped, "Kiba kun, w-what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in s-school?"

"Relax Hinata. I'm doing an errand for the school. The school sent me to fire Anko sama for them." he said and rolled his eyes.

"Nani? Anko sensai? Why? What did she do to deserve this?" Hinata asked.

Sakura watched as Hinata and Kiba chatted.

"Yeah, what did she deserve to be fired like this?" thought Sakura. Sakura looked down as she thought of how her life was back then.

~flash back~

Sakura was only four years old when her father left the family.

"I have to go now. The country needs all the heroes. And I have to be one for my country and my family." he said.

"Oh darling, don't leave me with this wretch! I love you so much." said Sakura's mother.

Sakura's dad saddened eyes trailed to where Sakura 'was' supposed to be but found her no where in sight.

"Where's Sakura?" he asked the mother.

"Oh who cares? When will you be home, darling? I'm cooking roast beef, your favorite." she said.

(A/N: ahhh who cares about roast beef when the dad is going to war?)

"I'll savor it always." he said sweetly and kissed her cheek, "I would like to see my little girl one more time before I leave."

"But you already saw her yesterday morning when you left for work. Isn't that good enough?" the mother whined.

"No, I will see my daughter for the last time." he said and walked out the room.

As the father was looking for Sakura, Sakura was in the garden behind her house looking out the bay window. She sat there, plumped up, knees pulled up, arms wrapped around her knees, head bent, as she looked out the window in space.

"Sakura? I knew I'd find you here. I was looking everywhere for you. Sakura dear?" he asked, coming closer to her.

As he placed his hand on her shoulder, she jumped and smacked his hand away.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" he asked as she suddenly shook her head.

He smiled and playfully messed with Sakura's pink locks. Sakura furrowed her brows as she saw a piece of vine behind her father, if he stepped back then he would surely trip over and hurt himself.

"I have to go now, Sakura. I just came to say good bye, and, and I love you always. Truly." he whispered in her ear as he planted a small kiss on her forehead, "And please be strong while I'm away. If something happens, I'll be right here." he patted her chest where her heart was.

Sakura looked down at where he patted then she looked up smiling, giving her dad a big toothy smile, the ones he loved so much.

"That's my girl!" he said and jolted back.

Sakura gasped, he was going to trip on that vine, as Sakura pushed her dad away from the vine, and just then her mother came in.

"Sakura!" gasped her mother in horror, "What are you doing? Don't push your father away like that?"

Sakura gasped and looked down. Her mother ran to her husband and asked him a few questions to see if he was alright and not hurt. Then she glared at Sakura. The father straightened up and crossed over to Sakura but the mother blocked his way.

"If it means that she'll harass you, then I expect you to leave and come home soon." she said before Sakura could do more harm.

The father looked at Sakura longingly then he sighed and turned away. Walking away, he muttered, "Be strong for me."

_For_. That means something. Not pride, or belief but…maybe _faith_.

~end of flash back~

Sakura blinked as she realized she was spacing out but noticed the Hinata girl with blue hair and Kiba were still at it.

"Oh how she'll be… ghastly humiliated and, and saddened." Hinata said using her big term of words.

"Oh she'll be fine. People get over these things very well." he said.

"Like you're the one to talk to." thought Sakura as she rolled her eyes and stood up.

Kiba then smiled and waved at the girls, "I got to go now, see ya!"

Hinata waved back and smiled a little smile at Sakura.

"Um, Sakura chan. I was looking everywhere for you. I supposed the rumors are true, that everyone who gets lost turn out to be standing under the wishing tree." she said softly. Then she gasped, "Oh! Not that I believe in rumors. They're just talk. I mean, if a group was talking about a person, then they really don't know about that person to be talking about them. Well, what I'm saying…is that… well, uh… you have to get to know that person then judge them. Not by how they look or how they talk or what they are, but how they treat you. That's what I think it should be like…"

Sakura stared at Hinata, "This girl," she thought, "is so different from the others, even from Gaara. This girl knows the truth. Maybe… should I tell her? No… I have to get to know her first…But what if? No, I can't think that… But what if it's an act? What if she's trying to pretend to be my friend then back stab me in the end? I can't take this chance… Wait, stop thinking like this Sakura, wasn't she the one who defended you on the bus? Wasn't she the one who cared for her teacher that was going to be fired soon? Wasn't she the one who just spoke the truth about what she thought rumors are? So give her a chance, don't ruin this for the sake of trying."

A hand waved in her face as Sakura blinked and jumped back.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

Hinata giggled, "You were spacing out again. Um, Anko sensai said we're pairs and that we have to explore the place then meet back when that big bell on the shrine rings…"

Just then the bells on the shrine rung, and made Hinata jumped, squeal, and faint. Sakura looked down then both ways, she ran towards Hinata.

"Um…Hinata? You okay?" Sakura sat her up, then shook her slightly, "Hey, um…wake up. Didn't you say Anko sensai…wanted us to meet back when the bell rings?"

Just then, Hinata jumped up and gasped, "How long was I out?"

"Just like a minute or two…before you peed yourself." Sakura teased.

"What?" Hinata gasped as she looked down, but she didn't peed herself.

Sakura laughed, as Hinata pouted, "That isn't funny! Sakura chan…"

Sakura laughed again, and ran towards the bell shrine as Hinata chased after her.


	5. Picking Some Small Talk

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

Ch. 5 – Picking Some Small Talk

"Okay! Listen and shut up! I see to it that you and your partners have had explored the place. Well, get this, when we go back to school, I want all of you to write a two paragraph essay using eight hundred words each." Anko said, telling the students whom have groan or fainted.

Sakura's eye twitch as she thought, "Isn't that a little too much? I think she's taking her 'situation' out on us…or in other words, a little too far."

"Sakura chan?" Hinata answered, "We haven't explored the place yet. But no worries, I've been doing so while searching for you."

"There's that _for_ again." Thought Sakura as she sighed.

Hinata seemed to notice her sigh, as she thought she had said something to make her sigh, "Ano, Sakura chan… did I upset you?"

"Eh? Nani?" Sakura said, raising her brow.

"I mean, well, did I say something wrong? Well, that is…if I did, I apologize." She said as she bowed.

Sakura eyes widened, "Nani?" she waved her hands at Hinata, "Why are you bowing?"

"Gomenasai, Sakura chan! I didn't mean to… I just say what comes to my mind!"

"Nani? What are you talking about?" Sakura asked.

"You sighed." She said in her whisper tone.

"Eh? Oh. Ohhhhhhh," Sakura said, getting it now, she sweat dropped, "Um, Hinata, it wasn't of what you said. It was…just that, you reminded me of something."

Hinata's eyes widened, "Ehhhhh? Then it is something I have said that made you sigh!" Hinata started crying anime style, which was really cute to see, "Gomenasai, Sakura channnnn! Gomenasai! Gomenasai!"

Sakura eye twitched, then she looked about herself as students around her, started to look her direction, "Eh? No no Hinata! It wasn't your fault. See, um, I just happened to hear…"

"Hear?!" she gasped, "It came out of my mouth! Gomenasai!"

Sakura gulped, since she had not had an experience of trying to get this girl to stop crying and apologizing and making a scene since she was transferred to another jail. Sakura gasped, people were looking her way. That could only mean one thing. Gulp.

"Hinata chan! Gomenasai!"

Hinata gasped and stopped what she was doing. Her lip quivered as she looked up at Sakura. Scared but curious and glad.

"Please stop crying, you're making a scene." Sakura said, bowing her head.

"Sakura chan…?"

"Well well well, if it isn't Sakura Haruno?" said a voice behind them, "Come to harass another girl…_again_?"

Sakura and Hinata both turned around and locked their eyes on a girl. Sakura eyes widened, it couldn't be, could it? Thought Sakura. Hinata looked over to Sakura as her face went pale.

"Sakura chan? Do you know her?" Hinata muttered.

"N-no. I…don't." Sakura hesitated.

The girl smirked and flipped her hair with her hand, "Don't try to deny it, forehead girl!"

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." Sakura looked down, hard at the ground, like she was drilling her eyes at it.

Hinata gasped as the girl walked over to Sakura, as she placed her hands on her shoulders.

"Fine then, let me refresh your memories." She then laughed.

~flash back (A/N: gonna zoom through ok? ^^)~

"Hell right they are! You're a stalker! The rumors are true, you are a lesbian. Look, I'm straight, so get lost freak!" said she.

(A/N: maybe you can guess who?)

A few days earlier, the girl was hugging her books to her chest, and felt someone behind her.

"Why do I have a feeling someone is behind me?" she does a quick glance and turns back around. She gasps, and thinks, "It's that girl with the big forehead, what does she want from me? Oh my god, is she stalking me?"

Sakura hid behind a pillar, and spotted her target, not like she was a stalker that would be…ok back to the story, and crossed from a pillar to a tree to a fence and you get the idea.

"What do you want? Come out!" she said.

Sakura bit her lip, she didn't want to bring attention so she sighed, and, and ran back to hiding spot in the library. When she got there, she heard some jocks laughing quietly. She sat behind some bookshelves and rested her head on the wall next to the shelves.

"Yeah," laughed a guy, "And she comes out from the girls bathroom with a toilet paper sticking to her shoe. It was so horrifying that she tripped when she saw me and ran into the boys' bathroom. I looked at her weirdly but then just laughed it off. It was too funny; you guys should have seen it."

~cut flash back~

"Stop it!" Hinata gasped, "How could they do such a thing? I'm getting the teacher!" as she ran, before Sakura could stop her.

"Whatever, anyways back to your memories." Laughed the girl.

~continue flash back~

Sakura gasped. They were talking about her.

"_It's not true_. That's not what happened!" she thought, and revised her memory.

Sakura was coming out from the bathroom, when a couple of girls giggled behind her. Sakura was curious on what they were giggling that she didn't see what was coming at her. One girl had a bucket of water, and splashed it onto Sakura, but luckily she jumped a few feet back and that the water only splashed her shoes. Sakura then turned and ran into the janitor lady who happened to be carrying some toilet paper and as they collided, Sakura didn't noticed that she had stepped on a piece of toilet paper.

As she ran out of the girls' bathroom, she ran around the corner where the guys' bathroom was and saw the most popular girl in school and stopped. Before she could react, or move out of the way, the girl just happened to trip and push Sakura back which made her fall in the boys' bathroom and just so happens, a guy comes in from behind the girl and looks at Sakura weirdly then laughed.

Sakura then got up, her face red, and ran from the sight, the attention, and the humiliation. As she ran, she bumped into the girl from earlier, her 'target'.

"Ewww! Freak!" screamed the girl as she jumped back and fanned herself.

"Sorry!" muttered Sakura as she bowed to apologize.

"Get out of my sight, forehead!" the girl said, "Disgusting!"

This is my chance, thought Sakura.

"Eris, I…" Sakura started but stopped as the girl made a horrified look planted on her face.

"Eew! You know my name? Stalker!?" Eris gasped and ran from Sakura.

~end of flash back~

"How many do you want, forehead girl?" Eris asked and smirked, "Or have you already had plenty?"

Sakura swallowed. Eris smirked. Sakura couldn't look up, it's not that she couldn't, she wouldn't want to see Eris see her cry.

"What? Are you crying now? Cry baby? Who knew the famous Sakura Haruno aka the stalker, the male 'high lighter' crying? Ha! Would have fooled me…" she laughed.

Sakura clenched her teeth; she couldn't let Eris see her cry and called her names. She blinked back her tears, even swallowing her sobs, and looked up, up at Eris, with a glare and with her fists clenched to her side.

"Sakura chan?" called out Hinata.

Sakura didn't pay much attention to Hinata or who she brought with her. Her focus was as Eris.

"Awww, are you using her now?" Eris asked then gasped, "Or is she one of you?"

"What's it to you who hang out with or gang up with?" sneered Sakura.

Hinata and her follower stopped when they got towards the girls.

"Just thinking about it; does make a remark about how those---" she said but then was cut off.

"Shut up! You should leave the past in the past!"

"What's the point? It's only going to change your future!" she laughed.

"You have no right to bring up here and now!" Sakura held up her fist.

Eris gasped then smirked, "Ooohhh, I'm so-o-o scared!"

"You should be!" Sakura smirked as well.

"Like you're the one to talk to!" Eris gasped.

Sakura made a fight stance but then a foot stepped in and it belonged to Hinata.

"I do not believe in violence but if it has to do with defending, I'll fight for my friend, Sakura chan!"

Sakura stopped and stared at Hinata and thought, "_For_. She said _for_ again."

"Who is this girl?" Eris rolled her eyes.

"Hinata Hyuuga. The oldest daughter to the Hyuuga campaign, the cousin of---"

Eris gaped, "Neji? Neji Hyuuga, the royal hottie who's in the after class in Konohachi Academy? Oh how he looks at girls with his glare, and how he's a big hit with his after school activities; he's on three master debates and on two teams, the basketball team and the tennis team, don't forget he's also a representative leader right next to that gang leader (A/N: Get this; ), what's his name? Oh yeah, Naru----"

"Naruto Uzamaki!" Hinata butted in. She glared at Eris.

Sakura stared at Hinata then at Eris then at…Gaara? What is he doing here? Sakura thought. Gaara looked at Sakura, clearly not taking his eyes off her. Sakura rolled her eyes and looked away. It seemed like hours though it only been one minute that she noticed Gaara was looking at her…and still is.

"What? What is your problem?" Sakura growled.

Gaara shrugged, "Nothing."

"Then stop staring at me!" she yelled.

"Why should he stop? You can't tell him what to do!" Eris shot back at Sakura.

"Wasn't trying to." Sakura spat.

Gaara stared at Sakura, "Now that I think about it, you do have a big forehead." He muttered aloud.

Sakura and Hinata gasped. Eris smirked. Gaara stared blankly at Sakura then…

Flick.

Sakura flicked Gaara's head on the side, hard, "Says you!" She then smirked.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

A/N: hey guys, I'm trying to write as many chapters I can before I go to California for the summer. And I'm gonna be so busy there that I wont have time to write or post anymore chaps.

Oh yeah, and thank you leogirl321 for the supportive ideas, but I'll save some of your ideas for a later chapter…mwhahaha! ^^

Please review and gimme feedback!


	6. Take Backs

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

Ch. 6 – Take Backs

_Sakura flicked Gaara's head on the side, hard, "Says you!" She then smirked._

Gaara's eyes widened. Hinata gasped; surprisingly so did Eris.

"How…dare you?" gasped Eris.

"How **dare**…" Sakura turned towards Eris, "_you_?"

Sakura's eyes flashed with a sensational flick of fire. Eris face was horrified again. Hinata eyes wandered around, she gasped, "Oh no we're drawing attention."

Sakura froze. Eris smirked, "Shouldn't _you_ be used to attention by now? You should, anyways, _you_ are the one who caused all that trouble back then and you say _I'm_ bringing up the past. Look at you; you're bringing it up now! Ha!"

Sakura glared at Eris, "I do not care if I get in trouble anymore. Anyways, I got one question." Her eyes flashed again, "What are _you_ doing here?"

Eris eyes widened, "I…me? Ha! I…uh, just happened to be…on this field trip too."

"To my logical hypothetical speculation; you _heard_ I was around, and that I've _come_ _back_. So you _followed_ me here, didn't you?" Sakura smirked, a deep smirked, then she laughed, "_You_ are the one whose a stalker!?"

Eris stepped back, "What? Are you crazy or what? I think you're big forehead is calling the shots, that is so ridiculous…"

"Me? I think _you_ are the one who's losing half your words; trying to deny everything that comes out of my mouth. Well, you know what; I'm through hearing what you have to say. I'm tired of standing around letting everything fall upon me---"

"Well…" Gaara started.

"Don't even think of butting in Gaara! I'm not finished yet. Look Eris, I'm taking actions now so you better watch your back cause you don't want to know what will happen if I do this…" Sakura launched forward, her fist ready to pound Eris' face.

Eris screamed and shut her eyes. Everyone looked at them and gasped.

…

Sakura stood there, taking deep breaths.

"Sakura chan…" muttered Hinata.

She then stood straight and couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into giggles, "Hahahaha!"

Everyone looked at Sakura; Eris looked up, her eyes half squinting and noticing that her face wasn't planted with Sakura's fist. Eris face turned red, "What?"

"You really thought I would hit you?! Hahahaha, funny, you see I only _do_ that, if I was _pissed_." She stopped laughing and glared at Eris.

Eris gulped. It's now my chance to tell her what's right, Sakura thought.

"You see Eris, you're too easy to mess with, and maybe that's why you believe all that stuff about me. You don't even try to get to know me. What you heard or seen was a misunderstanding. It was also a coincidence that people would take it the wrong way. I'm not that girl everyone thinks I am. I'm not. I just happened to be there at the wrong place wrong time. You have to believe me!"

Eris stared at Sakura, "Just stop now, you're making a fool out of yourself, you know?"

"Really? I thought I was doing so already." She smirked then pulled back her arm and swung at Eris' face, "Now, I'm just making a show!"

Everyone gasped then there was a shout, 'FIGHT!'

Eris fell back and landed on her butt with a 'thump'. Hinata's eyes enlarged to a medium size look. Her mouth parted as she inhaled a gasped. Hinata's brows furrowed with curiosity but also in a frighten gaze.

"Hinata?" mumbled/asked Gaara.

"Don't hurt Sakura chan!" yelled out Hinata.

Everyone stopped and stared at the shy quiet girl who was now yelling above the fights. Sakura glanced at Hinata, wondering why she yelled. Eris then took her turn and punched Sakura in the gut (A/N: ok I had to put the next scene in cuz I just ate a sandwich with mustard in it…and now I feel sick…) which made Sakura bellowed her head and crouched over holding her stomach. Hinata gasped.

She was about to run over when Sakura put up a hand that made Hinata stopped. Her free hand went to her mouth and covered it.

"You seem confident…" mumbled Sakura to Eris, "…but I think you should look over that." Then she coughed and puked on Eris.

Eris screamed and covered her face. The vomit went everywhere on Eris except her eyes and mouth. Sakura coughed again, and sat back, wiping the vomit from her lip. She looked satisfied. Eris then stood up, screaming/crying. She flailed her arms everywhere, trying to get off the vomit.

"Eew! Gross! I'm covered in the freak's vomit!" she screamed.

Just then, Hinata burst into giggles, "Hahahaha, look at her hair! Its green and yellow mixed! Haha, ew, haha!"

That made everyone laughed and left Eris crying in embarrassment. Sakura didn't want to make people who made rumors about her come true and then get them to be like her, and then she would be like the rumors are. (A/N: ok confusion, nvm about it.)

"No! Shut up! Stop laughing at me!?" Eris cried while screaming at the crowd.

Hinata stopped laughing and said with a smug look on her face, "Why should we? Everyone has heard about you. There has been rumors going on; that you have been turned into a geek. You walk through the halls trailing toilet water from your hair! You also had toilet paper stuck to your shoe too! Oh don't forget, you're all the teacher's pet in school! And now you want to prove to us that the rumors aren't true? So tell us why we should stop laughing at you now for making a fool out of yourself?"

That was the longest talk Sakura had heard that came out of Hinata's mouth. Everyone smirked. Gaara hid a smug look. Eris looked at the crowd's faces; then she fell to her knees and cried. Sakura couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey! Stop it!" Sakura defended Eris, "It's not nice to make fun of others if it means that it'll hurt them!"

"Like you should talk." Said a person from the crowd.

"Yeah I know, but she doesn't deserve to be treated like this…" said Sakura.

Eris sniffled and covered her face with her hands, "its…true!"

…

Sakura's hand covered her mouth and gasped in a calm shocking way like a mother finding out by a doctor that her child had died. Her emerald eyes broaden, her face turned slightly pale as she looked down at the ground.

"Hhmp," Sakura made a cough, then she removed her hand, and burst into a fit of laughter, "That changes everything! Haha! _You_! A geek? You joking right? That's a joke, the girl who used to be social able with the popular people and also known as the girl who got stalked by the freak is now a geek? Ha! I'd love to see the faces you made when those who embarrassed you!"

Hinata laid her hand on Sakura's shoulder. Eris cried, "I…" she coughed, "I thought you would be different, now that you're back."

Sakura's laughing subsided, "Different? Oh I'm still me from long time ago. You just don't know me to see me as _different_." She glanced back at Gaara who slightly looked away. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"I forgive you." Muttered Eris.

"Says you. Who do you think you are, the queen of England? You can't just go up to people making them remember the past and then forgiving them on what they didn't do! I told you before; the past stays in the past! Got that?!"

Eris rolled her eyes and got up, "Never, you're just a freak! I'm not listening to you!"

"What ever."

Eris then turned and ran, but before she got out from the crowd, there was a mother and her little child staring at her. She gasped.

"Eew mommy, look at that girl! She looks disgusting. Why doesn't she take a bath? Is she scared to take a bath, mommy?"

"I don't think I want to know darling. See, don't be influence like that girl over there, she's just another one of those people who are careless!"

"_No_." gasped Eris as she ran from the sight.

Sakura laid back and watched as Eris ran. She then turned to the crowd, "Okay show's over; you can leave."

"Hinata?" Gaara said.

"Yes Gaara san?" Hinata replied.

"Nice."

"Arigatou." Hinata answered with a smile on her face.

Sakura eyes twitched "Wait a second…what's going on?"

"Hinata planned this whole thing." Gaara answered for Hinata.

"Nani?"

"Hai. I'm the Hyuuga's compound best actress. Gomenasai Sakura chan…" Hinata bowed.

"Not again!" groaned Sakura.

"…for not telling you sooner." Hinata muttered.

_For_. There's that for again, thought Sakura as she sighed.

"Eh? Gomenasai!" Hinata noticed Sakura's sigh.

"I'm just kidding." Sakura playfully punched Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata smiled, a big smile in fact, "Hee!"

"And you," Sakura then turned to Gaara, "Welcome back!"


	7. A Cease of Laughing

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hey guys, I know I haven't updated recently since the beginning of summer. I've been busy and bored; I had no access to getting on the computer and writing another chapter. I'm sorry. But I'm back at home, now that I have access and you have been waiting patiently (of what I believed) or endlessly anxious to know what will happen next. Ima start now. Enjoy!**

Ch. 7 – A Cease of Laughing

"_And you," Sakura then turned to Gaara, "Welcome back!"_

Gaara didn't say anything; he was speechless, a brow rose in question. But he felt kind of relieved at the same time. It was like of feeling of burden on someone then it disappeared like when the person went in peace. Gaara lips parted and he breathed in Sakura's scent, her laugh, her smile…._she's back_, he thought.

Sakura laughed with Hinata and high five each other. Sakura couldn't believe it; Hinata…Hyuuga's compound best actress. Wow. Her mouth shaped an O, her eyes widen at the thought. Hinata explained to her that every girl from school and/or other schools loved, or adored or even admired her cousin, Neji. That's how she caught Eris, she thought of how to get Eris from what Hinata knew; she knew that no one could resist her cousin and that's how Eris ran off, screaming with Sakura's vomit on her and a very painful comment from a kid.

Hinata smiled and turned to Gaara, "Gaara san, thank you for keeping an eye out."

"You're welcome."

Sakura playfully punched Gaara's arm as he jumped slightly and rubbed his arm as if she had punched him that hard.

"Ouch." He said, simply.

"Oh come on, that did not hurt." She laughed.

"Gaara san has sensitive feelings." Hinata muttered in Sakura's ear.

"Oh really? From what I heard, he's hard with the ladies…" Sakura muffled a laugh, as Hinata giggled and Gaara turning a bright red.

Gaara turned away, hiding his red face, "You never know, I can come in handy."

Sakura rolled her eyes and whispered in Hinata's ear, "He's just saying that. But really, he's trying to hide the fact that…he's really a softy once you get to know him."

Hinata looked over at Gaara, wondering how come he's not fond or happy and out going as other guys. Maybe he was like her cousin…Neji, not happy or out going as she was. He was sort of timid and she wouldn't use the word shy, but antisocial. Neji was the Hyuuga's compound's best actor slash writer. Neji loved action in his acts but he couldn't stand romance like Hinata did, but secretly no one knew that, not even Neji.

Gaara noticed Hinata staring at him in wonder, her expression holding a curious legation of wonder and prediction. Sakura then waved a hand in Hinata's face, but still she hadn't snapped out of her thought. Sakura then placed her hands on both sides of Hinata's shoulders and shooked her lightly. No response.

'She's not even moving an inch of reaction…' he thought.

"It's useless; the girl is in her own little world by now." Sakura sighed and placed her hands on her hips, making a pout.

"Aa. She's likes this sometimes." He said.

"And how do you know this?" she asked.

"We're in the same class…derr." He smirked.

Sakura gasped and tried to uncover her stupidity, "I-I knew that. I was just trying to hear what you would say."

"Uh huh, sure." His smirked widen.

"Really, is it that hard to put it in your head." She chuckled.

"Nah, it's the thought that matters." He announced and stepped up towards Hinata.

"It's no use…you can't prevail her with your attractions…" Sakura said…

Gaara rolled his eyes, "Or can I?"

"No."

"You're right. I can just do this." He crossed over to Sakura, his body half bent to her size as he relaxed to a normal expression. Their faces were inches apart. Sakura sucked in a breath and nearly choked on it, seeing how close Gaara was to her. She felt awkward then suddenly with out thinking over her actions; she pushed him away with a shove and shrieked.

"Ah! Don't do that!"

That snapped Hinata out of her thoughts and onto the scene before her. What did she miss? What had happened?

"Eh? Sakura chan? Are you okay?" Hinata asked, reaching out towards Sakura.

"Hinata!" Sakura tackled Hinata into a hug then hid behind her, sticking her tongue out at Gaara.

Hinata giggled at the act.

Sakura faced Hinata, "It's good to see you as yourself again."

"Again?"

"Uh huh, you were spacing out like a zombie. I was so worried." As Sakura placed her hand over her head dramatically.

Gaara rolled his eyes, "You're such a drama queen."

Sakura grinned, "Hmm, I don't know about that. I mean, I never actually thought of acting…in like my whole life."

Hinata laughed. Gaara chuckled. Sakura stood there confused with a 'what? O.o' look.

"Gomen, I was just thinking how you were acting in front of Eris, pretending to punch her in the face…her face…hmp." Hinata held in her giggles, "...it looked so…hilarious. Hahahaha."

Sakura burst into laughter too after she re-thought about the scene that happened to her recently. Although, she felt bad about making fun Eris (she didn't want to be a picker just like all those people who used to do that to her…she'd feel guilty.)

"_Hey! Stop it!" Sakura defended Eris, "It's not nice to make fun of others if it means that it'll hurt them!"_

But then again…

"_I forgive you." Muttered Eris._

_"Says you. Who do you think you are, the queen of England? You can't just go up to people making them remember the past and then forgiving them on what they didn't do! I told you before; the past stays in the past! Got that?!" _

_Eris rolled her eyes and got up, "Never, you're just a freak! I'm not listening to you!"_

She deserved it anyways, thought Sakura, I couldn't give up…I did tell her how I felt and what the truth was… but I guess…it wasn't enough.

Gaara shook his head and waited for the two girls to stop laughing.

….

They didn't. Their laughs were starting to accelerate. It was too damn funny for them to quit laughing. Sakura was on the ground by now; tears of amusement were on the brim of her eyelids, daring to slide down her cheeks. Hinata was bent over, holding onto her sides that hurt from all the laughing. Her face was red, she felt she couldn't breathe, she was suffocating from giggling too much that she forgot how to breathe.

Gaara couldn't stop them from their laughing heart attacks, so he started off, back to the class, leaving them as if he didn't know them.

Finally, Sakura and Hinata slowly subsided their laughs and breathed in and out, gaining their composure. Hinata was the first to notice Gaara wasn't there with them.

'I guess he didn't think it was that funny.' She thought.

Sakura stood up and dusted herself off and wiped her laughing tears away with the hem of her sleeve. She then turned towards Hinata and also noticed someone peculiar was missing.

"Damn, he left us! That wasn't nice…" Sakura muttered an irritated growl.

"I think he got tired of us laughing." Hinata went back to her gentle like voice.

"Damn, I haven't laughed in ages…well since I was… never mind." Sakura looked off at a distant.

Hinata looked worried. She watched as Sakura slowly stood a moment in clarity, then put on a smile.

"Sakura chan?"

Sakura didn't want Hinata to know what had happened to her when she went there…she didn't think Hinata would care though…but she did know some part in what happened to her with Eris…but that didn't explain why she went to jail. Nothing could. Because it was all a misunderstanding. She couldn't bail herself out…she didn't even have the words to bail herself out. All she wanted to do was…

"Sakura chan?" Hinata asked, taking her hand and caressing it with her cheek, "Please, don't get mad…."

"…?"

"Gomenasai."

Sakura stood there, her hand caressed by Hinata. What did she mean? Why was she apologizing? Wait, I haven't thought of this…but this clicked in my mind, thought Sakura, does she know? Did Gaara tell her? He wouldn't…would he? I mean, he couldn't have…

"Why?"

"Just because…" that was her only response.


	8. I Understand

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hey guys, I hope chapter 7 wasn't too bad…or confusing…I tried my best to make it sound realistic…interesting and at the moment, angst. Please enjoy this next chappie. **

Ch. 8 – I Understand

_Sakura stood there, her hand caressed by Hinata. What did she mean? Why was she apologizing? Wait, I haven't thought of this…but this clicked in my mind, thought Sakura, does she know? Did Gaara tell her? He wouldn't…would he? I mean, he couldn't have…_

_"Why?"_

_"Just because…" that was her only response._

Sakura stared at Hinata, thoughts rushing through her head, wondering if she was just crazy over this whole thing or what did 'just because' meant.

"I don't understand…what do you mean 'just because', Hinata?" Sakura asked confused, her head tilted to the side.

"Just because." She said, not even giving Sakura a hint.

"I still don't understand why you even apologized when you didn't do nothing wrong." Sakura added. She craned her neck up as she peered at the clouds.

"I…just because." Hinata shrugged.

"Whoa hold on…I what?" Sakura caught her when she hesitated on "I". She snapped her head to Hinata.

"It's nothing. I just…forgot what I was going to say." Hinata sweat dropped, Really, Sakura chan."

Sakura sighed, there was no use arguing with Hinata and asking her what 'just because' meant. Sakura had little patience to even try to wait upon the answer that would counter her million questions rummaging through her head. Sakura then noticed that Hinata didn't apologize again when she sighed.

Hinata gazed at Sakura, blinking and with a face of worried; she continued to stare.

"Hinata, you're giving me the jeebies. Quit staring at me." Sakura said.

Hinata cracked in laughter as Sakura's voice sounded crept out.

"Gomen…I was just observing you. I mean, I-I never, er, met a p-person with pink hair…before, none the less, you." Hinata stuttered, hoping she didn't hurt Sakura in any way of her words, "its erm, different."

"Oh. Um, thank you?" Sakura commented into a question.

'_Different…_' thought Sakura.

_Hinata laid her hand on Sakura's shoulder. Eris cried, "I…" she coughed, "I thought you would be different, now that you're back."_

_Sakura's laughing subsided, "Different? Oh I'm still me from long time ago. You just don't know me to see me as different." She glanced back at Gaara who slightly looked away. Sakura rolled her eyes. _

"Different." Sakura muttered mindlessly.

"Oh I'm sorry…I mean, I'm different too. I mean, it doesn't mean wrongly; I just meant that you had pink hair and its pretty on you…I have blue hair as you can see." Hinata grabbed a handful of her locks, showing Sakura her hair color, "See, different like yours…not different in a bad way, in a good way. Oh what am I saying? I love your hair, it looks so shiny and silky, and I just want to comb my fingers through your hair….oh wait that sounded weird…"

Sakura listened to Hinata who was babbling crazy as she continued on.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry if my words are…" Hinata gasped.

"Hinata, calm down." Sakura urged Hinata to breathe in and out; relentlessly she got the hang of it, and began to be herself again with the apologies.

"Gomenasai, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to babble on… I just say what's on my mind. If I said something that made you remember something; I'm sorry!" Hinata started bowing in apology.

"It's okay Hinata, I'm fine. You don't have to apologize anymore. Sheesh." Sakura laughed, "Lets head back now."

Hinata straightened up and turned her head to the side as she heard the second bell ring. She gasped. On no, she thought, we're late. It's now an hour since we're still here.

"Sakura, hurry!" Hinata grabbed Sakura's hand and ran.

"Wah!" Sakura shrieked, as Hinata pulled her suddenly, "Where are we going?"

"Back to our class and sensai!" Hinata explained, leaping over stones.

"Oh. Okay then." Sakura tried loosening Hinata's grip, but it was no use. Who knew Hinata Hyuuga was that strong, "Let go. I'm going to run too."

Hinata didn't waste time, she let go of Sakura and then both of them ran to meet up with their class. They weren't there where the spot they were supposed to meet. Hinata got frantic. Sakura brushed her hand through her hair and huffed, crossing her arms, she stood there waiting.

"Oh no! They left us…" Hinata almost yelled.

"Calm down, Hinata. They'll notice that they're missing two students and come back looking for us."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I had been in this sort of situation before. I know what it is like." Sakura said, coolly.

"Are you sure? I mean, what if they don't notice…?" Hinata waved her arms around.

"Yes I'm sure, and Hinata, calm down. They wouldn't leave an actress behind." Sakura rolled her eyes, "Besides, you're supposed to play it coolly. You know, when they come, act like you didn't notice they left."

Hinata stopped what she was doing. She felt tears at the brim of her eyelids, what was she supposed to do? She had never been in this state before. This was new for her. She was always early. She made sure she was always early, so that she wouldn't be left behind or worst, left out.

Sakura stood there, a breeze lifted into the air and blew against her face, blowing her hair aside, revealing her large forehead, and brought out her beautiful emerald eyes. Her rosy cheeks, and strawberry colored lips, even guys would fall over heels in love with this beauty. Sakura wouldn't know; she wouldn't even care. She wasn't like all those other girls where they put on make up, and made sure they catch every guy's attention. She remembered how her dad told her she was beautiful in any, no every kind of way. And that didn't stop her from denying it now. She knew how everyone reacted to her, especially her own mom. She didn't even look the slightest like her mom, but she did own her mom's strength. Her mom would glare down at people like they were good for nothing, but Sakura had her dad's kind heart and sees people differently, not from the outside but the inside too.

They walked around, waiting, but no one came back. Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously, her eye brows furrowed in concentration. She held back a cry of fright. What was she to do? She always had someone lead her, but she couldn't lead herself to a point in life, that she will have to face, standing on her own, scared and don't even know what to do just as she was then and now.

"Sakura chan? I'm not sure they're coming…at all." Hinata half whispered.

Sakura looked at Hinata, half lost. Sakura watched at Hinata trembled not because of the breeze, and not because of their situation…but something more. Has Hinata ever been left alone before, thought Sakura.

"Hinata, have you ever stayed home before for like a week? I mean, 'alone' by 'yourself', with no one with you or around? Just you?" Sakura asked without thinking.

Hinata looked over at Sakura, thinking over what she should say. Yes and no, thought Hinata, I mean, I did stay home for two days but that's because I was sick. And because I'm afraid to be alone, because…because who will I turn to for help? What will I do if I don't know something I should know? Should I keep quiet or should I tell her my feelings?

"Um…" Hinata murmured, looking down for a minute or two.

"That is if you want to tell me. I don't mean to pry…if it's that personal." Sakura said, not wanting Hinata to pressure herself with just one of her questions.

Hinata's expression turned over from a confused expression to a curious facial. Her lips churned upwards into a soft smile, her eyes held a sparkle then she spoke.

"Yes. It is to me; I can't even tell you what it's like. I mean, I haven't had the feeling being alone from someone would be that…lonely. But, with you…I feel…I don't know, welcomed. Not alone, safe. Even if you are a convict of some kind. But, I still like you as you and I don't want you to change from who you are. If you did something wrong, keep it that way. I want to be friends with someone that had made mistakes in their life and from something they took blame for something they didn't do because…" Hinata then gasped, "Oh, I'm speaking my thoughts out, aren't I? Sorry."

Sakura glanced at Hinata feeling warmth in her heart, what is this feeling, she thought.

Sakura felt tears forming from Hinata's thoughts being spoken aloud to her. She clenched her jaw and blinked back a cry.

"No…" Sakura swallowed, "Please do. I want to hear what you have to say."

Hinata looked up at Sakura with wonder in her eyes, "What do you want to hear?"

"I want to hear what you had to say before you stopped at 'because'."

Hinata shifted her position, "Well, it's nothing personal or anything, I mean I sometimes don't have a reason on why I said things like that. For some reason, I just talk out what I'm thinking. Maybe it's just my silly old imagination playing tricks on me or it's just how I feel from my heart."

Sakura then grinned, "Well, I'm darn feeling it."

"What?"

"I sometimes feel the same way, you know? I mean, its nothing bad or anything, I just…I just can't explain the feeling I want to explain it as. It's easy to feel and let it flow through you, like a feeling when you're being welcomed by someone than it is to say 'thank you'. What I'm saying is….see? I can't explain what I want to say. It's hard." She then laughed.

Hinata then joined in with Sakura, "Yes, that's the same with me."

"I guess I want a friend who understands me; who knows what its like to be in the middle of something; who steps up for that person; and who shares the feelings as that person is." Sakura then laughed softly, "I'm talking silly, aren't I?"

Hinata's laugh subsided into a small chuckle, "No. Not at all."


	9. A Note To Sarcasm

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hey guys, I hope chapter 8 wasn't too bad…or confusing…I tried to let it sound… understanding. Um, I hope this one can make you laugh or at least make you. Please enjoy this next chappie. **

Ch. 9 – A Note To Sarcasm

_Sakura then laughed softly, "I'm talking silly, aren't I?"_

_Hinata's laugh subsided into a small chuckle, "No. Not at all."_

Sakura smiled at Hinata, not one of those fake smiles, but the real ones. Then all of a sudden, one of the students from their class yelled out, 'I found them! They're over here!"

Hinata gasped and clasped her hands together in relief, "Oh my gosh, they came back for us! Sakura, can you believe it?"

Yeah I can, thought Sakura.

As the teacher came, Anko didn't look nearly worried or upset; she seemed to be happy.

"Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you." She said.

"Sorry, sensai." Hinata muttered.

Anko turned to Sakura who stood there coolly and asked, "What took you so long?"

"Shut it. The others were looking in five other parts of the shrine for you."

"I meant you, teach. Where were you when we suddenly didn't appear in the group?" Sakura edged.

"I was at the entrance where I told everyone to meet at. Duh." She gave a dull remark.

Sakura looked up, and then sweat dropped. Oops, I guess I was wrong, this isn't the entrance. This is the gate to the other side of the exit, thought Sakura, _great_.

"Well, weren't you the slight worry that we weren't there?"

"Not really."

"Well then you ungrateful teacher, what kind of right minded person would you be when this goes on your record?" Sakura smirked even though she knew the answer on why Anko was happy.

"Sakura chan, she's the sensai. You can't talk to her like that." Hinata gasped and whispered to Sakura.

"Just wait."

"What record? For your information, I would have left you here for now that I'm not teaching anymore. And besides that, no one would know and tell the other teachers, less than the principal that I left you because one, you weren't here when I instructed and two, they can't put it on my record, because they fired me and after all I was about to quit myself, since I couldn't take any of this…this…whole teaching thing!" Anko spoke, "All I have to do to get you all out of my hair is to get all of you back to school. Prompto!"

_All_, Sakura thought then asked aloud, "_All_ as in every one of us that came on this trip?"

"Yes. Now get your lazy asses to the bus. I won't take anymore of this disappearing nonsense." She ordered.

"Not if you can catch me first!" Sakura stuck her tongue out and then turned on her heel and ran off with Anko yelling for her to come back.

"Sakura chan!" she heard Hinata gasped and halfed shouted but then quietly retreated to the bus, hoping Sakura comes back, untroubled.

Sakura ran and ran, and as Sakura ran, she heaved to a stop. She didn't know where she was going; but she knew where ever she was at as before she got lost, she was going to end up from the wishing tree as before.

"There has to be a map!" she thought aloud, "Even an old person can get lost in this stupid shrine."

She went to different parts of the shrine, stepping over logs and tree trunks that stuck out to trip you if you didn't look where you were going. Sakura then thought of a plan than getting herself lost and looking for a stupid map. She looked for the nearest, tallest tree to climb. As she did, she climbed and climbed until she reached the peak. She looked out and before her were more trees. She sweat dropped.

"What kind of shrine is this? It's like its forest land, the shrine is completely surrounded by trees…god, I'm never going to get of here." Sakura thought aloud.

She then heard a snap below and just thought that was her. She started to step up to the nearest branch close to her, but her knee slid as she scraped it. Blood oozed a little bit, but it didn't bother her. She then heard a tweet. She look down, and bam! A bird, or lets say mama bird flew into her face, clawing at her face, pulling her hair with its claws; then next thing she knew happened, she had lost her balance and started falling from a very high, peak tree. Oh god no, I'm going to die! Thought Sakura as she screamed and fell, hit a few branches that will hurt later on.

Halfway down, she knew her life was going to end at that one moment, face first. She visualized how her body would end up, dead, her arms and legs spread out and her head tossed to the side, and her body, her hips distorted in a way to the sideways. As she reached the lower level of the tree from where she first climbed; she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see how far up she had climb but she knew, she'd seen. She screamed one last time.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Hmp!" a grunt came then an hmp.

Sakura was gasping, she had landing onto something hard, or soft…something warm, and safe. Did she land in a pair of arms? But she dared not open her eyes because of her close shocking death.

"Sakura?" came the voice, "Can you hear me? Sakura?"

Sakura somehow knew the familiar voice, but she didn't get to see who it was, because then, she had blacked out.

When she finally woke, she was being carried, walking in on a path to the entrance. She gasped, this wasn't her plan...but it wasn't her plan to get lost and almost kill herself. But all she knew whoever caught her had saved her life…and that reminded her. She looked up and gaped.

"You?!" she stared at the red head, "You're the one who saved my life?"

"Yeah, my princess. Gaara is the name…" he said, rolling his eyes, "You can at least give him something more than unappreciative words."

Sakura stared at Gaara in disbelief…him, she thought, but how did he find me…? Did he follow me? She gaped as he shifted her position up.

"You look pale…maybe from the fall?" he mumbled.

She hit him with her elbow, "No."

"How about a kiss while you're at it." He chuckled.

Her eye twitched as she hit him once again.

"Ow?" He said, "Was that supposed to hurt?"

"Where are you taking me?"

"Back to Anko sensai."

"What!?" Sakura yelled, then struggled against Gaara's hold, "Let me down! I'm not going back!"

He held her firm but then released her as she bit his shoulder which was a surprise. She caught herself but relentlessly tripped over her feet and fell to the ground.

She coughed, "Thanks."

"You're the one who tripped over your big feet."

"You could have helped me up." As she stood up and started dusting herself off, "Or not drop me."

"I didn't drop you. You dropped yourself."

"That didn't even make sense."

"Look who's talking."

"Well, I know I'm talking right; you're the one who's talking nonsense." She snorted.

Gaara crossed his arms and narrowed his brows. Sakura did the same.

"Don't test me."

"Don't you…dare." Sakura huffed.

Gaara smirked as he swiftly grabbed Sakura and swung her over his shoulder before she could turn and run. Her eyes widen and as she screamed in surprise; she started kicking and pounding Gaara's back.

"Let me down! Put me down, Gaara!" Sakura yelled, "I mean it!"

Then so happens a girl walking hand in hand with her mommy chirps up, "Look mommy; there are a couple over there on the path of love!"

"It just so happens that that path is for people who become a couple." The mom added.

Sakura's eyes widen at what the mother said; and also twitched at the part where the little girl referred them as a 'couple'.

"Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Does it kill you to just shut up for a minute or two?" Gaara muttered loud enough for Sakura to hear.


	10. A Recent Teach

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hey guys, I hope chapter 9 wasn't too bad. I know it wasn't that funny. I used to be funny with all my stories but something terrible happened to them so I lost all my comedy from them; so I hope you forgive me if this story isn't humory. Please enjoy this next chappie. **

Ch. 10 – A Recent Teach

"_Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

_"Does it kill you to just shut up for a minute or two?" Gaara muttered loud enough for Sakura to hear._

As Gaara dragged…well, carried Sakura over his shoulder, Sakura finally gave up, slapping her arms on his back and hanging her head. He sighed. She sighed. Gaara had tinted red cheeks as he felt his companion's breathing. He pushed his sick thought aside and focuses on getting her to the bus.

"W-why…" Sakura started but then re-thought and never asked her question.

"Why what?" Gaara asked.

"Nothing." Muttered Sakura.

This wasn't going as she planned. It's been a long time since we done this sort of game, she thought, when I'm around him…I just feel…I don't know what I feel.

Gaara looked ahead, Man she's so hot and youthful when she's mad. Damn, what am I thinking? He thought, she's my friend, I can't date my friend. Wait, what am I saying? Hot? Youthful? Dating? God, I'm turning into Lee.

I hate him! That's it, her mind striking up a thought; I hate him…because he left me. And didn't tell me exactly where he was going. So I didn't have any contact from him. That low life jerk!

I like her? He thought, can't be…I just got to meet her again. We only spent a day together. A DAY!?

Why? Her mind screaming, does this have to be so hard?!

It's simple; why can't I just tell her? Gaara shook his head and was almost to the bus when Sakura began to struggle again.

Shut up! She yelled in her mind, shut the trap hole, I don't want to hear it! She started kicking and pounding again self mindlessly.

"Sakura? What? Stop!?" Gaara shouted, lowering her down a bit.

Then she kicked him. There. Right in the crotch. Where he fell to his knees, bent down, letting Sakura drop on her butt.

"Ow! Hey that hurt!" Sakura yelled.

"Speak…" Gaara grunted, his face turning red, "…for yourself!"

I'm the one in pain, he thought.

Sakura realized what she had done, "Oh my god, Gaara! Did I kick you?"

He looked at her like she grew two heads.

She took that as a 'hell yeah', "I'm so sorry. Even if I told you what happen; you'll be ending up with three heads." She laughed as though she knew what he was talking about, "Gee, how hard did I kick you?"

Gaara released a bit of his hold which was a mistake as he gasped in a breath. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes, "Hard."

"Oh? I guess…you don't have a hard core…like every girl says you do. Dang." Sakura speaking her thought aloud.

"Was that supposed to make me laugh?"

"Nope…" then she burst into giggles, "But it made me! Hahahaha!"

"Haha, not funny." Gaara made a face.

Sakura looked at Gaara's face but couldn't help herself but to laugh at his face expression, "Sorry, but its just too darn funny."

Gaara frowned. He didn't like this making fun of him sort of thing. It was just making his pride go down the drain by a…girl.

"I expected from you maturity." He muttered.

"Psh, yeah right. Not in this state, I'm not." She gasped for air and waved a hand at Gaara in a joking manner.

Gaara rolled his eyes and stood up from his crouching state and relieved from the pain, he yanked Sakura's arm and continued to drag her onward to the bus. Sakura was still laughing behind, her face turning pink at the moment.

Anko had met them in front of the bus, startled at Sakura's behavior.

"Bwahaha! You should have seen his face…there!" Sakura pointed at Gaara's face, "Did you see it? There it is again! Ahaha."

"Haruno? Are you on pills?"Anko asked.

Sakura huffed, "No! But I know someone who needs one…" she muttered.

Anko's face flared as she yelled, "I am NOT taking pills!"

"Didn't say you…" Sakura covered her giggle, "Maybe you outta because you're actually making yourself---" as Sakura couldn't cover it nether the less, she went back into laughing her head off and climbing onto the bus.

Hinata and everyone else turned their heads to the three people. Hinata grinned, and thought at lease, Sakura is her normal self again.

Sakura sat in front of Hinata whom was sitting next to a red head.

"Oh, Sakura chan, I want to introduce you to Mimi chan." Hinata tapped Sakura's shoulder, getting her attention as the bus started driving back to the school.

Sakura blinks and smiles at Mimi who suddenly looks down. Sakura noticed.

"Hi, I'm Sakura as you know from Hinata over here."

"H-hi." She squeaked.

Hinata smiles softly, "She's shy in the beginning but when you get to know her well; her shyness will fade."

"Like you Hinata?" Sakura pointed out.

"Er…uh, w-well…y-yes." She agreed defeatlessly.

Hinata smiled sheepishly and turned to Gaara who sat unwillingly next to Sakura who didn't mind.

"This is Gaara san; you rarely see him since he's like on a business trip to other places." She said.

"Hi." Mimi smiled slightly.

Gaara nodded in response.

"H-have you t-traveled to any o-other places l-like A-America?" she asked curiously.

"Hn."

"R-really? That's cool!" she said, getting the hang of not stuttering anymore.

"Hn." He said once more.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "He means yeah."

"Oh I know. Neji san does that too." She smiles sheepishly.

"Oh does he?" Sakura turned to Hinata.

"She visits us now and then." She advises Sakura.

Sakura nodded, "Aa."

"He does that too. He also says "Hm" or "Fan girl." Definitely, "Hn or Aa"!" she said jumping in her seat.

Sakura watches how Mimi talks happily to Gaara as if she understands his simple responses. Hinata also watches Sakura secretly in the corner of her eyes, viewing her faces reactions towards Mimi chan and Gaara san.

Mimi kept babbling on till they made it back to school. Gaara didn't seem to be annoyed at all by Mimi, Sakura noticed.

"Ah look at the time, and we're back at school! I wished we had more time to talk Gaara san, but it looks like the bell has already rung for next class. I'll have to continue our conversation tomorrow. Bye!" she says hurriedly as she climbed off the bus and ran to her next class.

Sakura groaned, "What? There's more?"

"Heh, Sakura chan, you don't expect school to end this early do you? We usually get home two more hours after than regular schools time." She says.

"What? What time do we actually get out at?"

"Hm…six." She says and laughs at Sakura's shocked face.

Sakura groans out loud, "I need an aspirin!"

Soon after, everyone went to their class and Hinata showed Sakura to her next class.

"That's your room Sakura, good luck." Hinata winks and leaves Sakura.

Sakura goes in and stares at the room; it seems half the desks are empty. She wondered why. Then some students filed in and replaced half the desks that were empty to full seats. Sakura shrugged. She stood near the wall that led to the entrance of the room waiting for the teacher.

"The teacher isn't coming till after the second bell rings." Says a student.

"And who is the teacher?"

"Orichimaru sensai." Says a few other students at the same time.

Then the door closed next to Sakura and in walked the teacher.

"Yessss, ssssssssirrrrrr-reeeee. I am your teacher, Orichimaru. And you must be the new sssssssssssssssstudent, Ssssssssssssakuraaa…" Orichimaru hissed.

"Yeah. And your creepy." she said.

He stood there, staring at her creepily.

"Yeah, really creepy." she said, slowly turning away. She didn't want to see his eyes devouring into hers.

"Ah, you talk from your heart, I ssssssssseeeeeee."

"Sssssssure, letssssss go with that." she said, hissing back, mimicking his hiss.

Oh god, please don't make this a habit.

Orichimaru grinned and hissed at her, "I like your sssssssssstyle!"

"Um…thankssssssss?" Sakura mumbled, and thought, oh god no.


	11. Mimi Chan's Song

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hey guys, I hope chapter 10 was funny. Oh, and heads up, people who live in Canada (idk anything about it there) but if it revolves around or in Canada, do not mind, it's a "made up" story. Please enjoy this next chappie.**

**P.s. – This story will be a lil' extra long. **

Ch. 11 – Mimi Chan's Song

_Orichimaru grinned and hissed at her, "I like your sssssssssstyle!" _

_"Um…thankssssssss?" Sakura mumbled, and thought, oh god no._

After class, Sakura raced out the door to her next class. Luckily she didn't have one, but study hall. She grinned and ran into the library unnoticed. She went up to the computers and sat down. Turned it on and went onto the computer, searching on pictures and documents of random news. On her search she came across a picture of Gaara and a note attached below it.

_Gaara, a known decent tattooist has recently traveled to Canada and has been caught doing profane depictions on an illegal age teenager. They had placed him in jail for legal charge of $200. He was let out a few weeks ago sending a contract of not displeasing or breaking the law of tattooing a legal age again. He has left Canada just two days ago and no one has heard or seen him since then. Gaara, our most decent tattooist, please follow the manner of law for your own good._

_Canada, Nov. 15._

Sakura didn't notice someone standing beside her until the voice startled her with a 'hey there'. Sakura jumped and clicked the exit sign on the screen. She looked up and saw Mimi chan staring down at her with a smile.

"What were you just reading?" she asked.

Sakura shrugged not trusting Mimi chan, "Nothing really. Just browsing the web. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, just wondering." She says, "When I came in here, I wasn't surprised to find you here; no one can mistaken you with your pink hair."

"Why? You got a problem with 'pink hair'?" she asked sternly, narrowing her eyes.

Mimi chan frowns as she noticed Sakura took her words the wrong way, "Nah, I like it. I think it's cool to have pink hair!" She grins then whispers into Sakura's ear "I wished my hair was green."

Sakura laughs out loud then stops and giggles quietly, "Nah, people will think you're some kind of…freak."

"Pa-lease! No offense, but I was sitting behind Hinata chan; and the girls that were talking about how they felt the need to barf from your hair. When they get the load of seeing my hair "green"; we'll see if they actually barf! So don't feel bad! I don't like seeing people feel bad about themselves!" she says.

There was a shhh from a librarian clerk behind a desk sorting out files. Sakura looked at Mimi chan and smiles then as they giggled they got another warning shhh.

"Okay. I'll try not to feel bad." Sakura teased.

"I'd like to see you try." She teased back.

They talked most of the whole study period till the bell rang and everyone had to go to their next class.

"Two more classes after this one, and we're free to go home." Mimi chan says.

"What? No way. No freaking way, two…'_two_' more classes?" her voice ended up scratched.

Mimi chan nodded and giggled, "Don't worry; it's not that bad as you think. It's actually quite easy and time does go fast when you're doing your work. Me? I don't pay much mind to what's around me."

Sakura sighed, "I don't know if I can handle being in this school."

"You'll get used to it." She says.

Sakura slumped her shoulders and walked out of the library with Mimi chan.

"So where are you heading?" she asks.

"English with Ka-ka-shi sensai?" she says.

"Oh cool! You got the good teacher then, no fair. I'm stuck with Sensai Aurora." Mimi chan says dully, "Everyone hates her. All she does in class is given us a lot of assignments."

"Oh well, I feel for you. Really." Sakura laughed.

"Doesn't sound like it, but I'll take all I can get." She grins.

"Okay. So where are you heading?" she asks.

Mimi chan smiles sweetly, "World history. I got Sensai Oosmak!"

"Oosmak?" Sakura laughs at the name.

"Well yeah, it sounds funny but he's a cool teacher. You'll like him once I introduce you to him. He's funny and everyone in the school thinks so too. I mean, half the girls in my class like him. Better yet, they think he's…hot." She giggles.

"Well then, I better go meet this teacher." Sakura jokes, "Do you think he's hot?"

"Nah, I'm not into men like him. I prefer someone younger and emo." She says.

"Emo?"

"Well not technically emo, just an emo ego. Haha." She says, grinning sheepishly as they walked to Mimi chan's class.

Sakura grins, "Well that explains much. So where do I go from here?"

"You keep walking pass two hallways, take a left and two doors down." She instructed, "If you need help, Kiba will be there to sort out the mess and help you to your room."

"Kiba? The one that smells like dog breath?" Sakura asks Mimi chan.

"No he doesn't. It's just he hangs a lot with his dog." Mimi chan defends Kiba.

"Aa, so he doesn't brush his teeth then?"

"Well, I don't know about that. But he's a nice guy!" Mimi says before going into her class and waving at Sakura.

Sakura laughs and then went on her way to find her next class. After following the directions of Mimi's; she finally found the room she was looking for. She went in and stopped as she saw the class chatting away and either throwing paper airplanes around or doing crazy wild stuff. Sakura took a step back.

"Where's the teacher?" she asks herself. She shrugged then sat in a chair which belonged to someone else asking her to move. She stood and walked to the front of the room as the class buzz. She sighed and sat in the teacher's seat waiting for the teacher to come, but he never showed up until after ten or fifth teen minutes.

"Sorry I was late; I had a important meeting at the office." He said before the class threw a bunch of paper balls at his fake excuse.

Sakura raised a brow and glanced at her teacher. Her teacher passed her and placed his messenger bag onto his desk. She coughed and then he noticed her.

"Oh? And you are?" he asked.

"The new student." She replied.

"Oh well then, welcome. I'm Kakashi sensai, I'll be teaching you this year."

"Obviously." She muttered to herself with the roll of eyes.

Kakashi looked amused and chuckled, "And you are?"

"Shouldn't you already know who I am?"

"Not unless you give me a name?"

"Sakura." She says.

"Sakura, a flower from a cherry blossom tree that blooms in the spring." He said, in a poetic way.

Sakura lips curves up into a soft smile, "Yeah."

"But it's not spring. It's close to winter, your attitude is cold." He observes her.

She frowns, "Not quite what I had in mind."

"I choose the facts."  
"But the facts are always wrong." She says.

"Not if it's hypothetically true."

"Which makes it wrong." She says.

"If you say it that way, you're the one who's wrong."

"Are you referring to me?"

"Yes."

"Well, guess what? I got my own opinions."

"And I got mine."

"So?"

"I'm the teacher. I know what's right."

"And I'm the student; I know what's wrong."

"Excuse me but who are you? Judging my opinions?"

"I'm the girl who says your facts are wrong! And I wasn't judging your opinion! I was stating the facts!" her voice got louder.

"So we're simply going into a circle, going back to where we started in the first place?"

"Exactly!" she says aloud.

"I likee." He smirks.

"WTF!" she yells, puzzled at his phrase.

Everyone looks at them. Sakura and Kakashi keep still and stare past each other.

"I mean…WTH." Sakura says.

"Wow, that really helps." He says, rolling his eyes.

"Er…" she sighs, "I guess, this means I'm getting detention, huh?"

Kakashi raises a brow and stares at her, "What?"

"Detention? You know when someone gets in trouble they stay after class doing stupid assignments and stuff like that." She says.

He looks at her, still with a raise brow.

"Oh come one, please tell me, you got a detention here!" she whines.

"Nope."

"Wow, no detention. Can't believe it." She mutters to herself, "IMS?"

He shook his head as her mouth fell in shock.

"No. Freakin'. Way." She said.

He shrugged, "It's just…this school doesn't need that stuff. It's a good school. This school is for only students who have high GPA's."

"You mean…rich people?"

"No, I mean, GPA of 4.0 or higher. It's too bad the geniuses have to stay in the regular schools for midterms and stick to one college per year."

"So what does this school have to do with no geniuses?" she asks.

"The school doesn't allow geniuses with the GPA of 1.0."

"What?"

Kakashi rubs his temple, "I mean, all geniuses in regular schools get accepted with GPA'S of 4.0 but they can't get in unless they get GPA'S of 1.0."

"But that doesn't make sense…at all. Geniuses are supposed to be smart."

"Yes, which means, they can outsmart the school representatives and go on to other colleges with no diplomas."

"That would suck." Sakura says, still not getting where he was going.

Kakashi sighs, "Yeah."

"So…when---?" just then the bell rang, cutting off Sakura's question.

"Yeah?"

"Never mind." She says, the bell answering her question as she walked out the door onto her next class.

"Art with Hayao Sensai." She sighs and tries to find her way to the art room.

Finally after searching around, she got to her class.

"Sakura?" asks the teacher.

She nods.

"You're late. I don't accept tardiness or excuses. Please come in and take a seat."

He says.

She shrugs and walks in, takes a seat in the back and rests her head against the wall.

"We will be starting a new unit in Arts today. We'll be learning how to draw the human shape body. From head to toe. To those who don't know how, I'll be happy to show you a demonstration."

Sakura closes her eyes and tries to drown out the noise surrounding her.

"Dun. Dun. Dunnn. Dunna, Dun." Came a musical piece from next door.

Someone must be playing the piano. Then a new piece came with a 'Dunna Dunna Dunna Dun Dun Dunnn'. Sakura recognized this piece from the classic musical of Beethoven.

"Sakura? Sakura!" came a voice that interrupted the classic sound.

"Yes?" Sakura snapped her head towards the front of the class.

"Pay attention! I don't need meddling students in my class who don't want to learn the meaning of art." He snapped at her.

Why then are you teaching, she asked herself, you'd be perfect for a detention slip! She coughed a laugh at this.

"You think this is funny?" he barked at her as she shook her head.

"No…sir."

"Then quit meddling yourself and keep your head on straight!" he said.

She nodded. But as he started teaching, Sakura went back into hearing the piano piece once more, and half paying attention. She wondered who was playing it so she can congratulate that person for playing it. It was beautiful to her and she thought no one can play as well as that person.

Soon after the bell rang and Sakura dashed out the door and walked slowly next door. She peered around the door and surprised by who was sitting at the piano seat was….

"Mimi chan?"

Mimi chan looked up, half surprised and grinned, "Hey? What are you doing here?"

"I was seeing who was playing the piano. And its you Mimi chan."

"Yeah." She smiles sheepishly, "Music is my life! I love playing the piano! "


	12. I KNOW You! Are You Sure?

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hey guys, I hope chapter 11 was funny cuz when I reread it I was laughing! Please enjoy this next chappie. Oh Yeah, and I know you're all waiting for this story and I'm sorry I didn't upload earlier, I had unfinished schoolwork to do and I was rather cough well… cough grounded. We'll here is Ch. 12! **

**P.S. – I'm sorry, but I was also working on my other new fanfic of NaruxHina! **

Ch. 12 – I KNOW You! Are You Sure?

_Mimi chan looked up, half surprised and grinned, "Hey? What are you doing here?"_

_"I was seeing who was playing the piano. And its you Mimi chan."_

_"Yeah." She smiles sheepishly, "Music is my life! I love playing the piano! "_

Sakura grins, "Oh yeah? I like the drums."

"Why's that?"

"Because then, I can scream my heart out." She said nodding and laughing at the same time.

"Nice." She says, "I don't think I can do that. I just love the piano that I dare not abandon it. The piano shares my thoughts. Do you play?"

Sakura shrugs, "Nah, I used to." Then she stopped and gasped to what she said, she didn't dare say she 'used to'.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh. Oh nothing, just forgot where I was…at." She coughed, "Sorry that was a stupid statement."

"No not at all. I sometimes do that too. Forget where I am." She smiled.

Sakura walked over to Mimi chan, "Were you playing this whole time?"

"Were you sitting behind me from the other side of the wall?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"I can hear Hayou sensai barking at you. Haha." She laughed.

"Yeah, what a pain in the butt huh, at least you don't have his class?" she says.

Mimi chan shrugged, "But I still have to deal with his loud yelling 'Stop playing that meddling music! It's ruining my art class moment!'" she used a different low voice which they both laughed at.

"So you heard. But anyways, besides the 'I wanna know who's playing the piano', I came to congratulate the person who was playing Beethoven."

"Aw, thank you!" she squeals and hugs Sakura.

In an instant, surprisingly, Hinata was standing at the door.

"Hi guys! I see you met the school's pianolist, Sakura chan." She says.

"Eh? Yeah, wow, so everyone knows?" Sakura turns to Mimi chan.

She nods.

Mimi chan smiled and tries to look past Hinata, "Where's Gaara san?"

"Oh he's somewhere." Hinata said, shrugging, "Maybe running away from his fan girls."

"Oh? What class did he get out of?" Mimi chan asked.

"Um, I think it was Gym." Hinata guessed.

"Probably; most of the girls in the school have gym last period." Mimi chan says.

Sakura glanced at the piano keys and wondered how it was like to lose her self playing the piano without anyone terrorizing her.

Mimi chan noticed Sakura's gaze and smiled, "Do you wanna play, Sakura chan?"

"Wah? No thanks."

"Oh come one, Sakura chan, please?" Mimi chan and Hinata pleaded.

"I think my memory shorted out and my hands are worn out already. Besides, that was long time ago." Sakura added.

Mimi chan looked ready to cry with her puppy eyes sprouting out at Sakura. Hinata's eyes were the same as Mimi chan but her lips were formed as a pout with her hands grasping as if she was praying hard. Sakura raise an eye brow.

"That… does not work on me." she pointed out, "Definitely."

Hinata bit her lip back and straightened up, but Mimi chan stayed the same, she kept her pouty eyes onto Sakura as her lips started to quiver. Sakura blinked, noticing the change.

What seemed like ten minutes or so, Mimi finally gave up and laughed.

"Dang Sakura chan, you are good when it comes to pouts. Haha never would have expected that. You're different from other girls, you know that, I mean in a good way."

Sakura shrugged, it was a trick she learned from her father when he was still alive. She snickered at her compliment.

Hinata gasped, "Oh Sakura chan! I hope you stay at our school for a little while longer."

"Why's that?" Sakura asked.

"Because then I'd get to see you everyday, and I wouldn't want to miss your pink locks not showing off the bad girl pose!" Hinata blurted out, "Unlike those fan girls who think they're all that!"

Hinata gasped, "Oh?! Don't tell them that, I didn't mean to say it out loud."

"It's alright, Hina chan!" Mimi chan soothed then walked to the door and peered out the hall, "Close is clear, come on!" signaling Sakura and Hinata to walk over to her.

The three walked out and out of the school they went. As they stepped out of the school's entrance, Mimi chan suddenly spotted out a group of girls huddling together and giggling.

Mimi chan glanced back at her friends and shouted at the likes of the fan girls, "Hey! You're ALL big sluts who think you're ALL that!?"

The fan girls gasped and turned to Mimi chan who laughed and then growled at her. They soon made up there minds and charged at the three.

"Mimi chan?! Now, they're off to get us! Why'd you have to---" Hinata chan argued.

"Now's not the time to argue…RUN!" Mimi chan grabbed both Sakura and Hinata's wrist and ran before the fan girls caught up to them.

While running, Sakura stopped a few paces, "I'm not afraid of them! I can take them!"

"Oh no! Sakura chan not you too. Look, let's head to my house before they catch both of you!" Hinata chan looked back at Sakura.

"There are the three of them!" one fan girl chanted aloud.

Sakura shrugged, "You're ALL big LOSERS who know NOTHING!? Whoo hoo!" Sakura rose up two arms and laughed evilly.

"How classic, now come on!" Hinata rolled her eyes and urged the two to follow her to her house.

"Wow Hinata, that's the first sarcasm I heard from you all day!" Mimi chan said, raising her eye brows.

The three ran until they got to Hinata's house---in Sakura's opinion---MANSION!!! Sakura's eye twitched at the sight. Working as an actress really paid off for her, huh, thought Sakura.

Hinata opened the gates to the back and ran in, Sakura and Mimi chan following behind; making sure the door behind was closed and locked. They breathed out a laugh as the stopped beside Hinata's deck.

"Whew, we should do that more often! I haven't done this in quite awhile." Mimi chan breathed out, turning around.

Hinata paced back and forth then rested her hands on her knees, taking in breaths, "Yeah."

"You should have joined in, Hinata. If you thought that was frantic, then you're on the wrong side of the road. I'm heading on the straight path." Sakura sighed a breath.

"Huh?"

"You know if you thought that was scary, try jumping off a bridge, if that'll do anything good!"

Hinata 'oh-ed' and gave Sakura a weak smile, "I suppose you did once."

"Nah just thought I give you an example." Sakura shrugged.

Mimi chan gasped and said this through her gritted teeth, "Uh guys? I think…we…got company…"

Hinata and Sakura glanced behind them and at the four males who were staring right at them.

"Oh!" Hinata turned around, "Hello, Neji niisan!"

"Hinata sama." Neji, who had long brown hair---in Sakura's opinion---looked like a freakin' girl nodded at Hinata. I think I--- thought Sakura but was interrupted by Mimi.

"Hiiii Neji san!?" Mimi chan waved frantically.

Everyone sweat dropped at Mimi chan's action. Neji nodded her way. Then everyone turned their eyes, focused on the newcomer.

"Who do we have here?" he asked.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the three boys who were standing with Neji. One had bright blond hair and blue sea eyes, looking excited to see her. Weird, thought Sakura. The other had black hair and stoic orbs narrowing his eyes back at her. Creepy, thought Sakura. Then the last one, his brown hair pulled into a ponytail, his hair sticking up like a pineapple, his brown eyes cast elsewhere looking like he was bored as ever. Not as weird or creepy as the others, thought Sakura, but just…normal.

Hinata chan was about to answer when Sakura clasped her hand over her mouth. Hinata looked over at Sakura.

"What's it to you, pretty boy? Is that alright if I call you that?" Sakura said unwillingly.

The blond boy bursts into giggles at her nickname for Neji.

"Shut up Naruto!" he growled.

"No let him laugh, I feel like laughing myself!" she hides a laughy grin.

Mimi chan coughs a laugh and averts her eyes elsewhere, "Sorry Neji, it's just that she has a point."

Neji narrowed his eyes at Sakura, "Actually, I think I know you."

"What?"

Hinata looks over at Neji, "Hm, how?"

Neji ignores Hinata's question and smirks at Sakura, "Aren't you that girl everyone is talking about? How unusual it is for a girl to have pink hair?"

Sakura shrugs, "Hm, seems like it…"

Neji's smirk widened at his comeback.

"…but which girl are you talking about?"

Neji's smirk turns into a frown.

"I knew it," thought Sakura, "As long as Hinata is an actress, so is Neji, well an actor."

Neji narrows his eyes at her, as his friends in the back either make fun at their quarrel or at him, "Don't make me laugh! You're the only girl that has pink hair."

"Here you mean. Here. But where I come from, you actually don't know how wrong you are." She says, "There are girls with red hair, blue hair, green or purple hair, and pink hair. There are even boys that I know of, who are prettier than you. Oh and that was a compliment by the way."

Neji grunts, "I'm not a pretty boy!"

"Ha! Looks like it, maybe you should cut your long girly hair, then we'll see if you're a pretty boy or not!"

"No! It's a tradition that the males in the Hyuuga clan are supposed to keep their hair long."

"Uh huh, what about Hinata's? Her hair seems short to me, did she cut it when she was small?" Sakura waves at Hinata.

"Her personal hairdresser made a mistake and cut her hair." Neji said, coolly. Hinata twiddled her fingers, shyly, looking away.

Sakura shrugged and patted Hinata's shoulder, "Looks to me, that only the guys get to wear their hair long. Ironic isn't it?"

Neji narrowed his eyes at Sakura once more, "I'm not like other guys."

"Well then, we proved my point, you are a pretty boy with a long girly mane." She smirks.

"Don't estimate me! I KNOW who you are!" he says and points at Sakura.

Sakura's eyes flashed at Neji and his group, "Are you sure? You might know who I am; but you definitely don't know me!"

But I know you. I've known you.


	13. Memory Refound

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! Really am sorry about the long wait of Chapter 12, so I'll try to be faster than usual. But I also have to make time, HW comes first then I'll see if I can finish this up for you. Well here is Ch. 13!?**

**P.S. – Okay, I know I was mean to Neji, sorry to those who are fans of his. I was trying to get Sakura's point across, but don't worry. **

Ch. 13 – Memory Re-found

"_Don't estimate me! I KNOW who you are!" he says and points at Sakura._

_Sakura's eyes flashed at Neji and his group, "Are you sure? You might know who I am; but you definitely don't know me!" _

_But I know you. I've known you._

Then the blond jumped in front of Neji and leant his hand towards Sakura, "Hi! I'm Naruto Uzamaki! What's your name?"

"Maybe you can guess, Naruto chan?" Mimi chan piped up.

Naruto sweat dropped, and brushed his hand through his hair, "Er, I give up!"

Mimi chan gasped, "Ah no! You can't give up!"

Naruto grinned, "Okay, well I think you look like a blossom to me. Your hair is pink like the flower I know on a tree."

Mimi chan grinned, also. Naruto knew he was getting close.

"Is it…Sakura chan?" he guessed.

Neji rolled his eyes, "More like Bubblelicious."

"You're right!" Sakura says, "Both of you. My name is Sakura and I'm just too delicious to ignore."

Hinata and Mimi chan giggled, "Nice."

Try beating that, thought Sakura with a smirk. Neji noticed and frowns.

The normal guy stepped up, "I'm Shikamaru Nara. Hi."

Sakura nods. Then the creep came up and introduced himself with an 'hn-ed'.

Sakura remembered how Gaara usually did that. A lot.

"You're not very social are you?" she asks.

He shrugs. Or have much feelings, she thinks.

"He's Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura chan." Hinata says.

Sakura raises her brow and gazed at Sasuke, "Not much of a Sa su ke to me though."

"Oh no, it's just Sasuke." Hinata says.

Sakura shrugs, "Very hallow. Alone and weak, eh?"

Sakura noticed as Sasuke tensed body froze to an abrupt position. Sasuke had caught Sakura's eyes and narrowed his eyes at her. Clearly, she thought she made two allies in one day including the fan girls who they ran away from earlier.

"What are you looking at?" She spat.

Sasuke looked away. Shikamaru stared at Sakura now, and smirked.

"What's with that smirk of yours, Nara san?"

Shikamaru, freely stated, "Just how unusual it is for Sasuke to act on orders, that's all. I say, you have a controlling voice in that mouth of yours."

"So what? Am I supposed to get offended by that statement? I think not." Sakura rolled her eyes.

Just then, Hinata sneezed as Mimi chan handed her her handkerchief.

"Thank you Mimi chan. I appreciate it."

Sakura eyes softened as she crossed over to Hinata, "Come on Hinata, go inside."

Hinata looked over at the group, "Why don't all of us go inside?"

Sakura stared pass Hinata for a moment, _I can't go in. What if something happens? The boys will surely blame a girl…wait, they don't know me. Yet. But…Neji, he might know. He might remember me. No! He can't!_ She thought. _They said he had amnesia! He can't remember me! That's it! Everyone who was in on it can't remember what happen or who was in it…just by whom they were told…_

'_It wasn't long ago, just a few years passed. Sakura with her pink hair swooshed behind her; she paced after her so called friends. _

_"What's the plan?" she asks._

_"Oh just something you had in mind earlier. We thought of helping you out on something." Says the leader of the group._

_"On what? What is it?" she asked curiously._

_"It's a secret. Shh, now go on ahead." The leader ushered Sakura ahead._

_Sakura without knowing the plan rounded the corner where a shed of dark oak stood. She blinked. What could be inside, she thought. Sakura edged over, standing on her tiptoes, she peaked in. She smiled when she saw a half carven wood shape standing by itself on a nearby workbench. Inside, it was dark, but Sakura could see clearly, since she was used to the dark. Her eyes adjust near the door. Something caught her eye; a thin string was hanging. Her eyes followed the string which led to a bottle shape where it was supposed to be replaced by a light bulb. She read the label. 'Blow Torch'. Her eyes widened. _

_No, she thought, this isn't what I had in mind! This must be a mistake! Once that string is pulled, that person, whoever that person is, will get hurt! I can't let that happen! I must stop it! This is a misunderstanding!_

_Sakura ran around the shed and up to the door, it wouldn't budge. She tried again but it still wouldn't budge. She bit her lip and turned to go find someone for help. But then she thought, Wait, if I go, someone will surely think I did it! No, it wasn't me who did it; I couldn't even get through the door. It's impossible to be me! But then again, I have to tell someone before someone gets hurt. [Sakura]_

_That's when she bumped into someone heading her way. She apologized and looked up. She stared at the person who had long pretty hair but glared at her nonetheless. _

_"Watch where you're going!" the person spat. _

_She couldn't help but ask, "Are you a girl?"_

_"I'm a boy!"_

_"Then you are a pretty boy!" She says. _

_The boy sneered, "Take it back, I'm not like other boys!"_

_"It was a compliment."_

_"Then I don't want your stupid compliment. Now if you would excuse me, I got stuff to do." Then he marched off the direction Sakura was running away from._

_She gasped. She ran after the boy as he neared the shed._

_"Wait! Don't go in there!" shouted Sakura, "It's dangerous!"_

_"Go away; stop following me!" he shouts back. _

_He pulls out a key and places it in the key lock. He then turned it when he was shoved out of the way._

_"Hey!" he shouts as she blocks the door, "Step aside!" _

_She shakes her head, "Y-you can't go in there. It's dangerous!" [Sakura]_

_But he was much stronger than she was. He pushed her away as she tumbled to the ground. He slammed the door open and walked in, "See? Nothing happened to me!"_

_That's because you can't see it! She shouted it in her mind. _

_He then reached up, wrapping the string around his finger and just when he was about to pull. Sakura got up and ran towards him. His eyes widened. She yanked his hand off the string which pulled and let out a bursting flame onto Sakura's arm. _

_"Ahhh!" She let out a painful cry and cradled her arm._

_Neji was knocked to the ground which he must have hit his head onto the workbench after seeing what happened before him. His eyes slowly drooped until he was fully unconscious. _

_Sakura had to get out of there before someone came and found them. She bit back her cry as tears were welling up. She stood up, reached up with her free hand and unlatched the blow torch and carried it with her only strength out where no one, including the unconscious pretty boy laid, was hurt. _

_She placed it on the ground near a dumpster and without looking back, she ran. Her tears flying off her face as she cradled her arm. [Sakura]_

_[Sakura] Someone is calling my name, she thought. [Sakura]_

_Who is it? She thought who's calling out her name? _

"_Why did you lie to me? Why would you do something so terrible? You almost hurt someone! You could've burnt him to death!" she yelled at her so called friends._

_"So it was a he, hm?" they muttered._

_The leader's eyes rolled, "Don't blame us! It was your idea in the first place! We just volunteered to help you out. It was all your doing." _

_Sakura shook her head, "No…No! It wasn't me! It was you, and you; all of you. How could you do something this dangerous? Why would you do this to me? I-I didn't think…want…this is a mistake, just a big misunderstanding." [Sakura]_

_"Well, it's done. Let's go." The leader said, and led the others away. _

_Sakura clenched her free hand with anger, "Where are you all going? Don't just run away from it! Fix it!"_

_The leader stopped, "There's nothing to fix. What's done is done, and there's no going back. Leave the past in the past. That's how it is, and no one can change that."_

_Sakura swallowed the leader's words. The words swirling in her mind. Why, she cried in her mind, don't say that! It's not true. You can fix this. I-I…need…no, there's no way I'm asking for that… no way… [Sakura] _

_Sakura then let out a powerful painful cry. [Sakura]_

Sakura blinked and focused her gaze on Hinata who stared back at her, worryingly.

"Oh Sakura, you came back! Are you alright?" she asked.

Sakura stood there uncomfortably. No, she thought, I'm not alright.

"Yes." She lied, "I just thought of something I had to go do. Sorry, I won't be able to accompany all of you. I got to go now. See you tomorrow."

Sakura shook off all their stares and went to the fence where the door they came through in earlier. She opened it, and hesitated then without looking back, she walked away.

"Oh Sakura, I worry about you." Hinata muttered to herself.

"Me too." Mimi chan whispered softly to Hinata.


	14. An Unexpected Surprise

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How'd you like Chapter 13? I hope it wasn't that dramatic, Lol. I tried to make it sound more alive. Well here is Ch. 14!?**

Ch. 14 – An Unexpected Surprise

_Sakura blinked and focused her gaze on Hinata who stared back at her, worryingly. _

_ "Oh Sakura, you came back! Are you alright?" she asked. _

_Sakura stood there uncomfortably. No, she thought, I'm not alright._

_ "Yes." She lied, "I just thought of something I had to go do. Sorry, I won't be able to accompany all of you. I got to go now. See you tomorrow." _

_Sakura shook off all their stares and went to the fence where the door they came through in earlier. She opened it, and hesitated then without looking back, she walked away. _

_ "Oh Sakura, I worry about you." Hinata muttered to herself. _

_ "Me too." Mimi chan whispered softly to Hinata._

When Sakura returned to her stationed house, she slammed the door! She grunted aloud, although she knew she was alone. She rushed upstairs and slammed the door to the bathroom. She crossed over to the sink and twisted the knob on the faucet. She looked at the rushing water before her, as memories of today went through her mind. She quickly rinsed her face and heaved a sigh. Today wasn't always the best days she could have liked. It was always the worst, or probably something rather could have gone wrong if Hinata wasn't there for her. She turned off the faucet.

_Maybe a quick shower will do me good_, she thought.

She had undressed herself and stepped in the shower. She turned the knob to hot and waited. She looked down. Her hands were sweaty from her nervous state earlier. Why couldn't she be herself, like she used to? She had thought she was different from everyone else because of her hair and that made everyone think she was a freak. Then a thought of what Mimi chan told her earlier made her rethink. Mimi chan said if she had green hair, she wouldn't care what others thought of her. She would be happy that she would've been a freak. It didn't matter to her anyways; Mimi chan was weird at the start.

"Ah!" Sakura gasped, now realizing the hot water stinging her. She stepped aside, watching the water shoot like daggers at the bottom of her feet. She glanced at her left arm, the one where her vine tattoo was scarred. It was red from where the hot water stung her.

After she took her shower, she got out and dried herself. She didn't have a second thought about the door being opened as she walked through. She wrapped the towel around her as she made her way to her uninvited room. She closed the door behind her. Her room was white which Sakura didn't actually mind. At all. Before all this happened to her; her room was painted pink, designs of cherry blossoms plastered over her walls. She'd endured dark colors, so she actually painted over the gruesome color and painted light colors. Looking at the white walls surrounding her, she thought only of peace and innocence like this room was only held for her mental side. Her other side was physically a particular ritual of closing herself to no one, throwing aside her good side, her good thoughts, and thrusting in her hatred of distrust.

_If only they had listened to her side of the story, would they understand what really happened_, she thought as she crossed over to her drawer. She opened the drawer and drew out some pajamas.

When she turned, she was startled. A woman stared at her with tensed eyes. Sakura could barely speak a word. She blinked. The woman was still there.

"W-who are you? What are you doing here; what do you want?" Sakura asked with firmness in her voice. She got hold of her startle ness and demanded answers to her questions, "You had no right coming in here without knocking!"

Awkwardly, the woman didn't speak, her eyes examining Sakura. Sakura averted her eyes, embarrassed than ashamed. Finally, the woman made a notion noise.

"I am Kasey Akito and who are you my dear? What are you doing in _my_ house? What makes you think you have the right way of speaking? You have no respect for the elders or this house. I wondered, when I got to my door, the door was opened. I went upstairs; the bathroom door was opened, with water on the floor. I trailed the water here, and I… found you. And I'm still wondering, who you might be?" the woman said.

Sakura locked eyes with the woman, having the chance to examine her as well. The woman had sea green eyes just like hers. She wore mostly white which made Sakura curious in asking her why she wore white; and what would make Mimi chan jealous is that she had green hair.

The woman sought through Sakura's examination and smirked, "Yes, it's my natural hair color just like yours. And I'm proud to have actual "green" hair. And what about you, dear?"

Sakura remained locked with her eyes and replied, "Er…I'm Sakura Haruno, a transfer student. And I like my hair as it is."

"Ah I see. 'They' dropped another one off on me. Hmm," Kasey grunted and crossed her arms.

_They?_ Thought Sakura.

Kasey paced in the room, "Well then, since you're going to be for awhile longer, you might as well know why you are here and what the rules are in this house. One, you are here because they couldn't help you anymore, they brought you up, you were sent to how many schools---"

"More than you can count." Sakura interrupted.

"---uh huh, so they dumped you on me. A widow who needs another kid pestering her about! Well you know what? I don't give a damn what they think; I don't need a comfort or their pity! Now, the house rules. One, I don't care what you do, where you go, who you see, blah blah blah a teen like yourself would know, unless you give me a specific answer, a note of some kind, I don't care."

"If you don't care, then why do I have to tell you specifically what you want to hear?" Sakura asked.

"I need proof, enough reason to your answer?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Not quite. What's in it for me? Why do you need the proof? Are you willing to give it to 'them' to those you don't give a care about? Or is it like elders would do, get proof that they're doing as they're supposed to do and then give up the child and move on with their lives?" Sakura asked, matching up Kasey's glare.

"You're really trying to pester me, aren't you? You're all alike, as I see it. I don't care, do whatever you like or want. I don't give less a care of you nor will I tell you to stay. Run away if you like; you're not my problem." She says and then turned to leave.

Sakura grasped the towel as she felt it loosed around her, "You're wrong there. I am your problem and you are mine. We'll just have to deal with each other then. Nether the less, you don't care, I don't care, we both don't need to care _but_—there's always a but—but, not that I'm saying this wrong or anything, but you _need_ me and you know it."

"Wrong, deary. You're just a pawn being used by others. You just don't see it, that's right, it's because you don't care about those people. Those who try to help you; but still, you turn them down, moving in rows, in columns trying to pry your way to the king, and knock him out. _But_, you can't. Not only are you a pawn, but a ruthless creature that can't over rule the queen as well. So while you're living in this house, you're just a pawn, _my_ pawn and I _am_ your queen."

Then Kasey walked out the door with silence following behind. Sakura stood there, relentlessly sucking in the left over words that had stung her ears. How could she say that? How could she, Sakura thought, just let her walk off like that and not take her words back? Because there's always a reason. Just leave the situation as it is for now, come back later and try to fix. Maybe. But, it'll take more than fixing, maybe, just maybe, talking it out will help.

Sakura closed the door and went over to her bed where her pajamas were spread apart. She loosened the towel as it fell to the floor. She carelessly got dressed and sat on the bed. She looked around the room, noticing every inch of it was either white or covered with white. Sakura shrugged the thoughts that troubled her, even with her conversation with Kasey Akito. How could she be so naïve to leave the door open? How stupid of her, to even think that?

"There had to be a _but_ in for me." Sakura groaned and lay on the bed; burying her head under a pillow.

In the morning, Sakura woke up in a drowsy state, wondering where she was. Whose house she had slept in, how she got there, who was waiting for her downstairs? Yeah, the thought of yesterday swept through her like a wake up call. She breathed out a sigh. She shouldn't be thinking things that happened in the past, and yes, she recalled yesterday the recent past. She wanted this day to be a new day, and so she shall make a new day, well for her that is. She shouldn't complain and she especially won't bother checking her attitude on remote.

She walked downstairs, dressed in a black T shirt with the letterings "Resist the Hot Buns" on it and wore apple bottoms. She crept over to the kitchen, hoping Kasey wasn't there waiting for her and her breakfast. With relief, she wasn't there. Sakura went over to the fridge, opened it up and grabbed an apple. Then without a thought, closed it and went straight for the door. She then stopped, remembering her conversation with Kasey yesterday about leaving a specific note. Sakura sighed. And with a swift jerk, felt herself going back to the kitchen to look for a piece of paper to write on. After finding one and writing down a note, she placed it on the fridge with a magnet holding onto it, like a kid putting up a picture he or she drew on the fridge for everyone to see. Then she left.

At school, there was a screaming bunch of girls as Sakura tried to push her way through the crowd but was suddenly pulled out from a firm grip. She looked up and was thankful it was only Gaara.

"Ok?" he asked as she nodded.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Oh, Hinata's cousin—"

"Neji Hyuuga." She said.

"Yeah him, is here with his gang and the gang leader—"

"Naruto Uzamaki." She said interrupting him again.

"You know what, you seem to know more about them than I do, I think you can guess what's going on." He said.

Sakura shrugged, "I don't know about that. All I know is that Neji Hyuuga is the royal hottie who's in the after class in Konohachi Academy? Oh how he looks at girls with his glare, and how he's a big hit with his after school activities; he's on three master debates and on two teams, the basketball team and the tennis team, don't forget he's also a representative leader right next to that gang leader, Naruto Uzamaki."

"Okay that was too much information than I needed to know. Thanks." He rolled his eyes.

"Your welcome." She smirked, "I'll make sure to get their autographs for you."

"No thanks." He said.

Sakura laughed and went off to find two people in particular. Gaara following behind watched as Sakura weaved her way through the crowds and walked towards the gang.

Sakura poked Shikamaru's chest.

"Yo. You seen Hinata and Mimi chan?" she asked.

"Hello to you too." He said, rolling his eyes, "Yeah, they went inside; you'll find them, just look for a girl in green hair!"

"Hm, okay thanks!"

"Sakura!" yelled a blond from behind. Sakura turned with a wave when she caught someone's eyes from behind Naruto and the crowd.

"Oh my gosh! No freakin' way!" Sakura mind went wild. She half ran through the crowds and then grabbed onto the girl's shoulder. Her eyes widened and her lips forming into a grin, "Mimi chan, how could you?"

Mimi chan laughed at Sakura's comment, "Surprise! Sakura chan, now you're not the only freak in this school!"


	15. Distaste

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 14 for ya? What'd you think of it? Oh! And if anyone of you are confused or have questions and need explaining, tell me and I'll see if I can explain them clearly to you, alright? Well here is Ch. 15!?**

Ch. 15 – Distaste

"_Oh my gosh! No freakin' way!" Sakura mind went wild. She half ran through the crowds and then grabbed onto the girl's shoulder. Her eyes widened and her lips forming into a grin, "Mimi chan, how could you?"_

_Mimi chan laughed at Sakura's comment, "Surprise! Sakura chan, now you're not the only freak in this school!"_

Sakura sat in class waiting for it to begin. She couldn't wait for this day to end. So much has happened. The screaming fan girls surrounding the guys and Mimi chan's new hair color.

Now, she thought, I'm not the only girl who has a different color hair. Mimi chan's no freak; I am. She didn't do like I did. Though I actually didn't do anything drastic like most people make of it. Jeez!

The bell rang and a couple students ran in followed by the teacher. The morning went on as Sakura sat in her seat uncomfortably listening to the teacher call out attendance.

"Noah Smith?" he said.

"Here."

"Sakura Haruno?"

Sakura yawned and lifted her hand, a slight wave that she was here. The teacher stopped and noted Sakura that they say 'here' when he call out names. Sakura nodded and so the teacher went on calling out names.

"Hinata Hyuuga?"

"H-here."

Sakura snapped her head toward the direction of the voice. Hinata felt someone's eyes on here as she looked up and caught Sakura's eyes staring back at hers. She smiled faintly and waved at Sakura from across the room. Sakura acknowledged her with a nod and a grin. Great, Sakura thought, at least now I know someone in this class.

The class dragged on, the teacher lecturing and Sakura's head bobbing about, holding on to consciousness, trying to stay awake. Her eyes twitched and suddenly her vision warred off and dreamland came, drifting through the room.

_The room was dark and Sakura could hear faint voices surrounding her. _

_ "Sweets for everyone! Come right up and get your sweets!" announced a voice who sounded like a those New York Times newspaper seller. _

_Suddenly there was a crowd, and she felt someone shove her. There were different forms trying to push their way through. Sakura couldn't feel her feet. They were moving on its own. Why? She moved with the crowd and looked around her self. No one she knew or recognized, to her, they look sorta jello-ey and shadowy, with no faces but bright clear smiles on their faces. Strange, she thought. _

_ "I hear they're delicious." Says a distant voice. _

_ "They are!" says another, "The man says they are!"_

_Sakura broke through the crowd and stood at the front, facing the man and his sweets. She watched as he lent his hand out to the shadows and poured some sweets to them. She watched them eat it. She watch them pleading for more. And they can't stop. She felt her hand lent out also, and felt the wrappers of the sweets. Sakura's eyes dazzled and she felt herself pull the wrapper off and tasting the sweets. It was powerful and really delicious, sweet but bitter at the same time, but it was mouth-watering, and it seemed Sakura couldn't stop either; and so she pleaded for more like the others; she couldn't find a way to stop. She wanted too, but it was her body that was doing its own action. _

_Sakura doesn't plead, she realizes. The room slowly freezes, and changes and Sakura finds herself in a different room; pictures hanging off the walls, portraits that weren't happy…at all. Faces that were unhappy, and… scared. Afraid. Frightened. A warning? _

_ 'Leave now before it's too late!' they called out to her._

_ 'You shouldn't be here; leave now!'_

_ 'Go or else you'll be turned like us.'_

_ 'Hide yourself before he sees you.'_

_Sakura blinks, the portraits are talking to her? How strange? _

_ 'You're pretty; he'll want you.'_

_ 'Don't come any closer; you must go!'_

_ 'Please we beg you; you must leave this awful place. This isn't right.'_

_Sakura soon understands when she hears a ghostly wavered voice trailing behind her._

_ "I'll soon have my pretties." He laughs to himself, "That's what they get for eating my sweets."_

_Sakura recognizes the voice; it's the sweet seller. She backs away but she was too late to escape, a pair of hands grabbed at her. She gasped aloud---_

"Here!" She gasped, shooting up in her chair.

Everyone in class stared at her, some snickered. The teacher placed his hands on his hip and grunted aloud.

"Sakura! I've called out your name five times, and still you wouldn't answer. This class isn't for slackers; this class is for students to learn education. IF you please, go to room 214."

Sakura gathered her stuff and stood up. She walked down the row and across the room; she passed Hinata and shuffled out the door.

"Room 214?" says Kiba, "Wow, how'd you end up there?"

Sakura shrugs, "Accidentally dozed off in class. I couldn't help it; I tried to stay awake."

"What got you in that state?"

"Eating sweets and portraits of people telling me to go away before I end up joining them."

"Sounds nice."

"Hardly. Who knew, my second day here and I ended up in detention." She says.

Kiba shrugs, "There's no detention in this school."

"I heard." She says.

"You just ended up in a class full of retards."

"Aka retards in detention."

"Well, just don't consider it the wrong way." He said, shrugging.

Sakura shrugged as well. This school is fiasco…totally, she thought. She walked along side Kiba as they rounded a corner and into another hall leading to a staircase up on the second floor.

"Well, at least, now you know that room 214 is in the trailers outside." He snickered.

"Thanks for your inconvenient compliment." She rolled her eyes, "I feel oh so welcome here already like I've been here for oh, I don't know---"

"Goes by fast, doesn't it?" Kiba interrupted.

Sakura kept walking as they rounded yet another corner, "What's with this school? It's like a maze in here when outside it looks so puny."

"That's how it's built."

"Well I don't like it. Someone can get lost in such a small building."

Kiba laughed, "Irony, my dear."

"Well, irony yourself." Sakura sneered.

Kiba raised two hands in defense and kept walking till they met two doors in front of them.

"Well, this is where we go our separate ways." He said, "I have to head back now. I'm on clean up duty."

"Sounds fun." Sakura said.

"Yep! You should try it sometime." He started walking backwards.

Sakura rolled her eyes; I was being sarcastic moron, she thought, and "Well, I'll have to re-check my schedule. Nope, too busy. Sorry."

"Nah, no need to rush." He laughed and turned around before he walked into something, most likely a wall, and left her standing in front of the two doors.

Sakura let out a huff and turned towards the two doors. Then with a shrug, she opened the doors.

The cafeteria, as Sakura walked in, was abnormally quiet. As hush voices roamed the areas around her. Sakura found herself, center of attention. She narrowed her eyes; shooting back a glare at those who tried to sneak glances at the new girl with pink freakish color hair. Sakura walked towards the line passing the whispers at a nearby table. The whispers quieted down as Sakura walked pass, this she knew they were talking either about her or something really personal. Sakura stood in line.

"What can I get you, girl?" said the cafeteria lady. She held a ladle in her sanitary gloved hands, and her eyes were squinty, staring at such a woman gave Sakura a shiver down her neck. "Well?"

"I don't know. What do you have?" Sakura asked.

"Well, you can see, can't you? It's all in front of you; choose girl. What will it be? And do hurry, I got other boys and girls to feed." She said, rather impudently.

"Well…" Sakura said, playing along, she squinted her eyes and neared the food, "Um, sorry, what's this?"

The lady bent over the food, "What kind of question is that? Don't you know what ramen is, girl?"

"Oh-ho, so it's ramen, is it? Well, I rarely eat noodles. Um, how about that one?" Sakura asked, pointing to a bowl with green strings in it.

"Beans." The lady said, getting rather impatient.

"Well I'm not a 'vegetarian', so dear me, I can't eat anything healthy. Do you have junkies?"

"No."

"So, what do you have?" Sakura asked again, getting right back to where they started in the first place. The line started to get longer, the lunch lady noticed.

"Ugh, look girl; like I said before, I got mouths to feed."

"Well actually, you said you got other boys and girls to feed."

"Never mind girl, what will it be?" she said.

Sakura stood for a moment, trying to decided, "Um…"

Finally, the lunch lady snapped, "Oh for heaven's sake girl, does it take you this long to decide what you want? Hurry up and decide already, there is a line waiting behind you and you're holding it up!"

"With that kind of attitude towards students, might I mind you, you won't get another chance from getting hired." Sakura half smirked.

The lunch lady froze, her body tensed up. She eyes still squinted, but her brows rose in fear. Sakura smiled, apologetically.

"Oh, I'll just get ramen, please."

The lady spooned her some ramen and Sakura paid and left with a pleasing smile planted on her face. She looked at the long line and her brows went up and her game went on.

"Good luck getting your meal." She said and looks at her visible watch on her wrist, "Oh look at the time."

Then she left.


	16. The Trade

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 15 for ya? What'd you think of it? Oh! And if anyone of you are confused or have questions and need explaining, tell me and I'll see if I can explain them clearly to you, alright? Well here is Ch. 16!?**

Ch. 16 – The Trade

"_With that kind of attitude towards students, might I mind you, you won't get another chance from getting hired." Sakura half smirked. _

_The lunch lady froze, her body tensed up. She eyes still squinted, but her brows rose in fear. Sakura smiled, apologetically. _

_ "Oh, I'll just get ramen, please." _

_The lady spooned her some ramen and Sakura paid and left with a pleasing smile planted on her face. She looked at the long line and her brows went up and her game went on. _

_ "Good luck getting your meal." She said and looks at her visible watch on her wrist, "Oh look at the time."_

_Then she left._

Sakura walked over to a table with a blond whose head is behind a book. She placed the ramen bowl down on the table and slid it that it slid under the book and the scent up his nose.

"Yum, ramen!" he squealed then gasped and pushed the bowl away.

Sakura pulled out a chair and sat across from him and pushed the bowl towards him again. He pushed it away and she pushed it back. He pushed it away again and this time Sakura replaced the bowl with a fork and pushed it towards him. This time, he was hesitant and slowly, cautiously took the fork and Sakura slid the bowl once more under his book.

"Thanks." He muttered.

"No prob." She answered.

Recognizing her voice, his eyes looked over his book, "Sakura chan?"

"Hi bookworm." She says.

"I-it's Naruto." He said.

"Oh. Well, I like bookworm much better." She gave him a hint of a smile.

"Um…okay, I guess."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I was kidding, Naruto."

Naruto shrug and started eating his ramen, "Aren't you hungry?"

"No. I don't eat lunch." She says.

"Why not? Don't you want to be healthy?"

"Eating ramen doesn't make me healthy…it doesn't have to do with ramen."

Naruto nodded. Sakura leant back onto her chair and looked around. Naruto gobbled down his noodles and let out an 'Ah' sound.

"Stuffed?" Sakura asked, not looking at him, her eyes still roaming around the room.

"Not quite." He said and grinned, "I'm the one who has a big appetite."

Sakura nodded and turned back to Naruto, "Why are you here?"

"You mean, why am I hiding? Well, you noticed I have a lot of fan girls."

"No, why are you at this school? You don't go here…" she says getting to the point.

Naruto nodded once more, "Ah, I see. Um, well, I came here on behalf of Neji. He has to 'watch' his cousin, Hinata. And since I'm his leader—we're in a gang, if you must know— I also, have to know what's going on."

"So, you have to follow Neji like a lost puppy?" she asked, snickering.

"No. Not like that at all, something more like, I'm in charge of what he does." He said, trying to interpret his way of saying.

"You mean, you're watching his every move, like in case something happens to him— or his cousin, Hinata…Hm, sounds like love to me." Sakura leant back on her chair.

Naruto nodded then shook his head, "What? No, me and Hinata? Heh, what makes you think that?"

"I never said you and Hinata were in love." Sakura snickers.

"Ah dangit! Okay, so I like her. You know. Just don't tell her, okay. I made a great deal about keeping this a secret." Naruto passed on to Sakura.

Sakura only smirked, "Sure sure."

"Promise?"

"Whoa dude, I don't do promises. You have to come up with something much more…vulnerable." Sakura's smirk widened.

"Swear it?"

Sakura shook her head.

"Pinky swear then?"

Still, Sakura shook her head.

"A vow? A deal? A handshake? Anything?" he sounded desperate.

Sakura was still waiting for something much more than pleads and secrets.

"How about a trade?" she suggested.

Naruto's brow flew up, "A trade? What kind of trade?"

"Oh just something I had in mind. A couple, actually." She leant over the table, hands as if praying and stared at Naruto with willing filled eyes.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"What do I want to know?" she wondered.

"What do you want to…know?" he gulped, asking her again.

"Secrets." Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, "Deep secrets."

Naruto looked at Sakura, studying her to see if she was joking or either bluffing him. She wasn't. She meant every word she said to him. He couldn't just tell her every dark, deep secret he knew, but she wouldn't know what he planned going in his head.

"I'll do it, but you have to keep my secret." He says.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, studying him. His hand tapping the table as if thinking of something to ruin her trade. His mouth, tensing at the thought. His eyes told the most. The trade didn't show in his eyes that he agreed to her terms, she was disappointed.

"The trade is off." She announced, ripping her eyes away from him and leaning back into her chair, as if the conversation didn't even start.

Naruto gasped inward, noting to Sakura that he wasn't expecting this from her.

"What? Why?" he whined.

"There are two reasons why. You're smart enough; think and give me the answers by the end of the day." She stood up and left the table and out the doors.

Naruto stood up as well, and ran after her.

Outside of the cafeteria, Sakura walked across the hallway and outside of the school, followed by an anxious blond. Sakura walked briskly, across the field that stood the rest of Naruto's gang. And they had spotted her.

"Sakura wait!" Naruto called from behind her.

Sakura stopped halfway, in the middle of the outstretched field, halfway from the gang and Naruto from behind her.

"What is it?" she answered coldly.

Naruto walked up towards her, standing at her side, his brows furrowed and confused.

"I don't understand what happened back there. I mean, why the trade is off?" he asked.

"You just don't understand do you?" she said, much more coldly.

She felt the gang staring at her with intense eyes. She could feel the rest of the eyes from the boys yesterday that were with them at Hinata's house.

"Of course not, you didn't give me a complete explanation!" Naruto answered.

"I did give you two reasons to think about." She said and was ready to stalk off but not then did Naruto grab her wrist.

Sakura turned swiftly, her hand resting on Naruto's neck, and with the press of her two fingers pressed a pressure point where Naruto doubled over and fell unconscious.

"Think about it, Naruto." She said before leaving, "And tell me in the end of the day. That's all I'm giving you."


	17. Two Reasons

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 16 for ya? What'd you think of it? Oh! And I'm sorry if I haven't posted them sooner, it was Thanksgiving and a long week with family and no computer to update. Oh and Christmas already came my way and a lot of school stuff poured all over me so yeah, I'm busy. Sorry but anyways, here is Ch. 17!?**

Ch. 17 – Two Reasons

"_I did give you two reasons to think about." She said and was ready to stalk off but not then did Naruto grab her wrist._

_Sakura turned swiftly, her hand resting on Naruto's neck, and with the press of her two fingers pressed a pressure point where Naruto doubled over and fell unconscious._

_ "Think about it, Naruto." She said before leaving, "And tell me in the end of the day. That's all I'm giving you."_

So the day went on. Naruto awoke from a loud yell of his friend, Sasuke. (A/n: Who knew? Lol)

"Wake up, dimwit! Jeez, what are you, deaf?" Sasuke smacked Naruto upside the head.

"Ow! Sasuke, I'm okay!" Naruto stood, brushing himself off, and looked around himself; eyes peering back at him, "What happened?"

The crew looked at one another, finally Shikamaru broke the silence, "Man, she really kinked you."

"What?" Naruto asked, bewildered.

"_Really _really kinked him." Says the rest of the crew.

Naruto brushed away the dirt from his hair, and furrowed his brows, "Guys! Just tell me what happened!"

"She knocked you out with less than a hand." Says a crew mate.

"And you didn't even wake up till Sasuke….er, beat you up." Another crew mate waved his hand to Naruto's face.

Naruto flinched, now feeling the pain below his eye, his left cheek, and from his lip, which was bloody from Sasuke's fists. Naruto then glared at Sasuke making him flinched. His glared was returned.

"What the world, man! I seriously didn't need that! You could have just shaken me awake!"

"Did that, idiot!" Sasuke grunted, "Along with dropping you, kicking you, shoving you, spilling water on you, and I was thinking of getting one of your fan girls here to wake you up."

"Oh." Naruto looked down, "Well, thanks anyways."

Naruto yawned, and rubbed the side of his head, "But man, that hurt!"

"I know." Sasuke smirked, "Let's go, bell's going to ring in less than five minutes."

"Kay." Naruto started heading back to class, his crew following behind.

Just when they stepped in the doors to school, they saw Neji walking backwards and Hinata towards him, unblinking.

"Wazzup guys!" Naruto yelled excitedly.

"Not now Naruto. My cousin and I are having an eye contest." Neji said, keeping his gaze onto Hinata's.

"He w-won't stand a chance a-against me, N-naruto. So it wouldn't t-take much longer…" Hinata says, locking her gaze on Neji still.

Naruto grinned, "Can I join?"

"No." Neji says, "This is between me and her. Got it?"

"I wasn't asking you, Hyuuga." Naruto rolled his eyes, and then turned towards Hinata, "Hina chan?"

Hinata felt a blush coming; biting her lip, Hinata spoke softly, "Sorry Naruto. I made this challenge for Neji san a-and it won't t-take much longer till he---"

Just then Neji did a quick, with a flash of an eye, he blinked without anyone noticing it except that Hinata knows his trick since she was raised in the same family also.

"Ooh! Neji san! You blinked!" Hinata laughed, blinking her eyes.

"No Hinata, you're wrong there." Neji smirked, trying to hide his lost turn.

"Ah-ah-ah, Neji nii-san, I saw you blink. You can't fool me, I know you better than anyone here knows you. You're my cousin, remember?" Hinata rolled her eyes.

"Well…" Neji started, "Fine! You win this time, but I won't let you off this easy."

Hinata shrugged and gave a wave to his friends, "Well you know what to do, Neji. I got to catch up with Mimi chan and Sakura chan, see you."

"_Sakura chan!_" Naruto gasped and yelled at the same time, "Hinata!"

"Yes, N-naruto chan?" Hinata looked away, holding onto her blush.

"Where is Sakura chan anyways? I need to talk to her!" Naruto said, serious.

"Um, well, I told her to meet us in the parking lot in front of the school." Hinata said, "Oh there she is!"

Naruto looked behind him where Hinata pointed and started walking outside. Sakura was joined by Mimi chan and Gaara, talking feverishly about something. Naruto knew not. He stood there, his arms crossed over his chest, and he concentrated his gaze on Sakura, only.

For Sakura, she had felt Naruto's stare on her and didn't mind turning to him, smirking. Naruto swallowed. What if she, he started thinking, no…she couldn't have…But what if….nah, maybe….

He was too busy warring his thoughts out that he didn't see Sakura climbing over to him and with arms over her chest, she stared back at Naruto.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Naruto asked, puzzled then he remembered what Sakura said before she knocked him out, "Oh. Yeah. Well, I haven't exactly thought about it since you knocked me unconscious for…well like since you knocked me out."

Sakura raised her right eye brow, "I hit you that hard…wow."

"Yeah wow," Naruto said irritated, "And look what happened to me."

Sakura looked at Naruto's injuries, "Okay I didn't do that."

"Of course you didn't…Sasuke did." He mumbled.

Sakura laughed. Naruto frowned.

"Okay," Sakura's laugh subsided, "Guess then. Tell me what you think happened on why I said deal is off."

"That's the problem, I don't know."

"You didn't even try. Think Naruto."

"I can't. Because you're not giving me any hints on what I did to disrupt your plan."

"I gave you time."

"Which was wasted."

"That's your fault."

"Not really. I wasn't the one knocking people out."

"Well, I'm not the person who double crosses a deal."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah!"

…

"Oh." Naruto breathed out, "Okay then. I'll try."

Sakura waited. Naruto looked around but couldn't think of anything wrong.

"I'm sorry. I can't think of what I did wrong."

"I'll tell you then." Sakura sighed.

Sakura began with two explanations.

"1: Your eyes told me you weren't in it. 2: You can't trust a person long enough to know what they are up to."


	18. The Game Is On

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 17 for ya? Sorrrrrry for the looong wait! Anyways, here is Ch. 18!?**

Ch. 18 – The Game Is On

"_I'm sorry. I can't think of what I did wrong."_

_ "I'll tell you then." Sakura sighed._

_Sakura began with two explanations._

_ "1: Your eyes told me you weren't in it. 2: You can't trust a person long enough to know what they are up to."_

Naruto stood there dumbfounded. What does she take me in for, he thought accusingly, I wasn't going to do anything in harms way…I just…well I was just thinking of maybe defending my status….if she backfires on me. Naruto stared at Sakura, watching as her eyes flickered back and forth. She's good, he thought, real good.

Sakura felt him tense up. She snickered inside her; she knew very well he knew that she knew what he knew. It was so obvious.

The two didn't break their stare towards each other as they felt a new companion joining their little game.

"Hi." Chirped Mimi chan.

"Hi Mimi chan." Sakura said, still staring at Naruto.

"What is this? A staring contest?" she asks.

"Something like that." Sakura laughed, "Weakness vs. Weakness."

So that's it, Naruto thought, that's what she wanted to know. All the deep, dark little secrets. Like she said, weakness vs. weakness. Well then, if that's how she wants to play it. Then I'm game.

Naruto tore his eyes away and smirked, "Mimi chan?"

"Yeah Naru chan?" she piped up.

"Do you want to join me for dinner tonight?" Naruto's smirk grew, "At my house."

"A-are the guys going to be there too…?" she asked unsure.

"Nah, they won't be joining tonight. It'll just be you and me." he says.

Mimi chan smiled, "Okay!"

Naruto snickered at her reaction and turned to go.

"Oh and Sakura chan, the deals back on." He says, "Besides, I want to know something too."

Mimi chan looked at Sakura then at Naruto then back again, not getting what's going on. After Naruto left, Mimi chan spun around to Sakura, "Kay, spill it."

Sakura looked at Mimi chan, puzzled, "What?"

"Something's fishy and I want to know what's going on between you and Naru chan." She says, getting straight to the point.

"Nothing's going on." Sakura said. Mimi chan didn't look convince but then shrugged.

"Just going right." Sakura answered before taking off towards Hinata.

With Hinata, she deserted her search when she couldn't find Mimi chan or Sakura anywhere. She turned towards Gaara.

"Gaara san, please say something." She pleaded.

"Hn." He replied.

She smiled, "Well hn yourself." She laughed.

"What's so funny?" Sakura asked, popping up randomly next to Hinata.

Hinata gasped, squealing in the process, "Sakura chan! Don't do that, you startled me!"

Sakura pouted, "I was just curious."

Hinata laughed at Sakura's pouty look, "Nice." She rolled her eyes.

"Strike two." Popped up Mimi chan on the other side of Hinata.

Yet again, Hinata was startled, "Don't do that! Jeez, what kind of a friend are you?"

"A friend that can not be replaceable." Mimi chan grinned.

"Says you, the girl who takes away my most admirable person." Hinata whispers and laughs. After realizing what she said, she blushed.

"Aw, Hina chan! I had no choice but to say yes. What can I say; the guy was desperate, much less attractive." Mimi chan replied.

"Sure sure, go on. I bet you said yes again. How many times was it?" Hinata asks.

"More than a month I think." Mimi chan replies.

Sakura tries to read them with her eyes. But nothing changes from the both of them. Something is fishy and Sakura isn't going to wait. She wants to know what's up before it begins.

While Sakura is observing her friends, Gaara seems to observe Sakura. He watches her every move, observes her every laugh, her every breath, her every word. He wants to know what Sakura knows but he doesn't want to jump to conclusions. He's like Sakura, wanting what he wants and getting it but he's more of the type to wait, unlike Sakura.

"Gaara kun!" Mimi chan pipes up, and skips over to Gaara, "Why aren't you talkative?"

"Hn." He shrugs.

"Gaara kun should talk. He shouldn't sulk. He should be happy. He has friends, we're his friends. We all love Gaara kun, right guys?" Mimi chan spoke mindlessly aloud.

Hinata nodded. Sakura shrugged.

"Oh yes, Gaara nii, please talk. It would be such a delight if you do." Says Hinata.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Don't bother. He's a turtle you see. He locks himself up in his shell and doesn't come out whenever we're around."

Gaara shot a glare at Sakura without her looking. Mimi chan gasped and laughed, "Oh Gaara kun, that's mean!"

"She started it." He mumbled, shifting his gaze away from the three.

"Whoa, it's a miracle!" Sakura fakes gasp.

"What is? Gaara nii talking?" Hinata asks.

Gaara rolls his eyes. Sakura shakes her head, "Sadly he doesn't know how lucky he is."

Gaara peers at Sakura. Mimi chan and Hinata looks at Sakura as well.

"Huh?" was their response.

"Oh you know." Sakura shrugged, "Just a thought."

There was a moment of silence.

"I should get going. I'm…" Sakura started but Mimi chan interrupted her mid sentenced.

"Why don't we all go to Hinata's place?" she offers.

Hinata nodded excitedly, "Oh yes please come."

Sakura sighs, "Can't sorry. Ima be really busy."

"Oh." Says the two girls, sadly.

"Sorry. Maybe another time." Sakura says before waving and going off to the direction of her new stationed house.

When Sakura arrived at the house, she threw open the door and stepped in, remembering to close the door behind her. She walks down the hall and into the kitchen. There was a note taped to the fridge. Sakura walked over and read it aloud.

_"Finally you arrived; here's a few things you need to do: Eat, wash up, and go to bed. When I come 'home'; I don't want to be interrupted from someone that practically barged in 'my' house the day before. K.A." _

Sakura ripped the note with the tape still on it off the fridge, crumbled it and threw it in the trash.

"Well, Kasey Akito is way over her head. I don't think I want to barge in on her while she's getting dressed." Sakura rolled her eyes then shuddered.

Sakura grabbed an apple and took a bite then placed it back where she found it. She did say I can do whatever I want; she wouldn't care anyways, she thought. Sakura climbed up to her room and sloppily lay on her unmade bed from earlier. She sighed, today was a long, tired day. And so she slept.

Sakura awoke from a slam of a door downstairs. Kasey must be home, she thought. Sakura sat up and brushed her messy hair back. Then she stood and walked to her closed door.

The door open, bonking Sakura's head. Sakura fell back. Her hand to her forehead. Ow! Yelled Sakura in her head. There on the outside of her room stood the owner of the house, her now caretaker who doesn't give a care, Kasey Akito.

"What the hell was that for?" Sakura yelled.

Kasey held up an apple, it had a chew mark, teeth. Sakura concentrated then she remembered. It was her apple that she took a bite out of.

"An apple? You're getting mad because of an apple?" Sakura threw her hands up, and glared at Kasey.

"No respect at all!" Kasey shot out, "You ungrateful girl! What kind of a girl did they put me up to this?"

"'They' are just doing their job." Sakura spat. Then she rolled her eyes and mumbles, "At least they don't abuse people because of an apple."

"Pardon?" Kasey glared at Sakura.

Sakura glares back and brushes past Kasey. Kasey grabs Sakura's arm.

"Excuse me where are you going?"

"Gotta pee. You wanna watch?" Sakura spat out.

"Joy." She rolled her eyes.

Sakura pulled away and walked across the hall to the bathroom. She walks in. Then turns, facing Kasey, "Anyways I thought you didn't care what I do or where I go? Apparently, you have a soft side."

Kasey gapes, "Well!"

"Save it." Sakura says before closing the door.


	19. Strike One

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 18 for ya? I finished it during the last days of Christmas and News Year too. Anyways, here is Ch. 19!?**

Ch. 19 – Strike One

_Sakura pulled away and walked across the hall to the bathroom. She walks in. Then turns, facing Kasey, "Anyways I thought you didn't care what I do or where I go? Apparently, you have a soft side."_

_Kasey gapes, "Well!"_

_ "Save it." Sakura says before closing the door._

Sakura spent an hour in the bathroom. For an hour, there were a lot of knocks on the door. She didn't care of sharing it since the little incident before. Two times now. She's crazy! Sakura thought.

There was a knock on the door. Sakura groaned.

"Go away!" Sakura said.

Another knock.

"I said Go Away!" Sakura's voice gets louder.

And another knock. Sakura gets mad.

"Argh, can't anyone get any privacy once in awhile?" she yells at the door.

Yet another knock. Sakura gets frustrated and screams, yanking the door open. She sees Kasey grinning.

"Just wondering if you're still alive in there." She smirks.

Sakura felt her face flush bright red with anger, "Oh? You think that's funny? Well, maybe you should try it sometime!"

Sakura walks quickly out from the bathroom, down the hall, down the stairs, and towards the door. Kasey clears her throat.

"Don't forget about our agreement." Kasey calls down.

Sakura groans then yells, "Who cares?! Maybe I'll run away and someone can pick me up!"

"Sakura!"

Sakura screamed, "Just out, okay?! What are you, my mom?" then she slams the door and leaves.

Why does everyone treat me so differently anyways, I'm just like them, stupid and irresponsible! They just have to make it so hard for me, Sakura thought, I hate it!

Sakura storms down the street, the day was coming to an end. It was about 11 or so. Sakura didn't care. She's done this a million times. Well, sorta a million times. Sakura swallowed. Who cares, Sakura thinks, who does care about me?

Then Hinata and Mimi chan pops into her mind. Then Gaara. Then Naruto and his gang.

Sakura sighs. Sakura stays silent for at least 5 minutes. Maybe it's just pity, Sakura said, arguing her thoughts, maybe Hinata really does pity me; she's an actress after all. She can act out any emotion.

Sigh.

Well, Sakura thinks, at least their little deep secrets will be---

BAM!?

Sakura's body is thrown across the street. Sakura doesn't know what hit her, or who hit her. All she knows is that she's blacking out and there's no stopping it when you get knocked out.

-

-

-

-

Everything's dark. That's because her eyes are closed and it's nighttime. Sakura moves her eyes lazily behind her lids. She can't feel her left arm. But she's sure her other part of the body is moving, sorta, shaking, tilting, shifting. What happened, Sakura wondered.

Where am I? Sakura thought then croaked, "Hello?"

No response.

Maybe, it's my imagination…playing tricks on me again. Sakura laughed in her thoughts, or maybe I'm dreaming. How come I can't move my arm? Ow…

"Hello?" Sakura could hear her voice was distance, "Is anyone there? I need--- hello? Anyone? Can anyone hear me? Hello?"

Why is it so quiet? She thought, what happened to me?

-

-

-

-

Meanwhile….

"Hinata! Hinata!" yelled Mimi chan, running to Hinata for dear life.

Hinata was sitting across from Neji and his crew. Shikamaru was the first to look up and see Mimi chan's face.

"What is it?" he asked.

Mimi chan skidded over to Hinata and tried to calm herself down, but it was too urgent to do so. Her breathing was uneven, and her words were too fast.

"Mim—" Hinata started.

"It's Sakura!" Mimi chan caught her breath.

Everyone chattered stopped. Everyone was silent and anxious to hear more.

"Sakura chan?" Hinata asks standing up.

"She's in the hospital!" Mimi chan replied.

"How?" this time it was Shikamaru, standing up, he crossed over to the two girls.

Mimi chan swallowed, "She was hit…by a car."

"What?" everyone was aroused now, having the same look on their faces.

"Go on."

"Gaara called me from the hospital. He told me that she had a few injuries, but she's going to be fine."

"Where?"

"She can't move her left arm. And she's apparently unconscious right now. But if we hurry over there, we might catch her awake." Mimi chan grabbed Hinata's arm and started walking to the door.

"Poor Sakura chan." Mumbled Naruto as he and his crew followed behind.

-

-

-

-

Over at the hospital, Mimi chan and the rest met Gaara sitting outside the closed doors that led inside where Sakura laid.

"Is Sakura awake?" Shikamaru asked for Mimi chan and Hinata.

Gaara looked up, placed his chin on his knuckles and shook his head, "Not yet."

"But she's going to be alright, right?" Hinata asked.

Gaara shrugged, "If she's strong enough, she can pull through."

"Sounds like you're not sure." Sasuke muttered.

"Yeah, you should be concern in every way possible!" Naruto narrowed his eyes at Gaara.

"Naruto…" Hinata whispered, "Enough all you. We're all worried and concerned for Sakura chan. But can't you see, Gaara nii was here with her, and also contacted Mimi chan too. We should be grateful to be included."

"But Hinata, look at him. Does it look like he's concerned? No, he looks like he doesn't care. At all." Naruto complained.

Mimi chan was looking through the window of the two closed doors. Sakura chan, she thought. She watched how Sakura's breathing was uneven, her eyes moving from the inside, but her left arm, wasn't stabilized. For the effort, Mimi chan was trying to remain calm for her friend.

"Naruto please don't do this." Hinata whispered.

"Hina chan, this guy doesn't 'care'!" Naruto's loud got louder, pointing at Gaara.

Then…

"Shut up! That's enough Naruto! Now listen up and listen good, we're 'all' here for Sakura and to see if she's alright. We 'aren't' supposed to complain and be enemies right now; that you can take outside if you want or wait till Sakura's out from the hospital. Gaara kun is just being calm and trying to digest this situation, like all of us are. And if you can't handle that, then shut up and deal with it!" Mimi chan huffed.

A doctor came by, with his clipboard, he eyed the group.

"Excuse me, but are you Haruno Sakura's friends?" he asked.

"Yes we are." Hinata responded.

"Well as you all know, she is doing fine except from a slight setback." He says.

"What do you mean, doctor?" Shikamaru piped up.

"She has a slight disable setback, you see…" he says.

Hinata looks around, she sees Mimi chan's expression turn from calm to anxious, and so was the rest of them except the doctor's and Gaara's. Why isn't Gaara freaked out by this news? She thought.

"What about her?" Shikamaru went on.

"She…she can't hear us." The doctor said.


	20. Blame Vs Blameless

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 19 for ya? I finally finished it before school started. Anyways, here is Ch. 20!?**

Ch. 20 – Blame Vs. Blameless

_Hinata looks around, she sees Mimi chan's expression turn from calm to anxious, and so was the rest of them except the doctor's and Gaara's. Why isn't Gaara freaked out by this news? She thought._

_ "What about her?" Shikamaru went on._

_ "She…she can't hear us." The doctor said. _

Everyone had that expression on their faces. The expression where shock and disbelief is mixed into a tidal wave. The doctor stood before them, shifting foot to foot, trying to ease the awkwardness.

"I'm sorry. I thought you knew." He said.

"Sorry to say we just got here." Naruto informed the doctor.

"Well, I did tell one of you young gentleman her condition." The doctor said, scratching his chin.

"It couldn't be us; we just got here." Naruto muttered then everyone turned towards Gaara.

Gaara stared at all of them and shrugged, "Wasn't me."

Naruto was mad. Very mad, "Are you sure? Last time we check, you called Mimi chan over here! You're the guilty culprit among us!"

"Didn't know about till now." He says.

"Yeah right, and we're suppose to believe you?" Naruto raised his voice.

Gaara shrugged.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Naruto yelled, "Answer me!"

"Hn." He says.

Sasuke and the rest of the boys snickered. Naruto didn't find that funny.

"What, am I supposed to sit back and let you go after what you kept from us?" Naruto went on, "Because I wonder, aren't you her longest friend?"

Gaara shrugged again, "What's it to you?"

"Aren't you worried? Sakura is your friend! What kind of friend are you to her?" Naruto growls, trying to control his grip.

"A friend who's strong enough to wait for her." Gaara said, standing up, he walked past the group, then stops and turn, returning Naruto's gaze, "And isn't that why you're here? To wait for her to wake up too? To encourage her that you'll be by her side whenever she's down? To comfort her whenever she's alone? To help her?"

Naruto's lip parted, but he was lost on words to say. Gaara continued.

"No. You don't even stop to think. You just gradually go as your actions speak for yourself. Trying to blame others when you don't know the whole story; some would say, 'Who are you to oppose me? What have I done to upset you? I'm as innocent as you are; so you can't be talking.' Maybe you should start thinking instead of thinking for yourself." Then Gaara made an exit, his back turning around the corner and out of sight.

Naruto stood there dumbfounded and speechless. Everyone was speechless. No has heard Gaara speak so strongly yet a paragraph. Mimi chan looked down, then back up at Naruto.

"Naruto…Gaara kun's right." She says, "We all did things without thinking and look where we ended up… Useless and hopeless. We're not going to get anywhere just like this…we have to do as Gaara says and stick to it. Sakura chan needs us, and without her…it's like losing a family member. You know what that's like."

Naruto glanced back, his eyes flashing, "Yeah. I do."

Hinata turned to the doctor, "Please, tell me. Is Sakura alright? Really?"

"She is." He responded.

"Then why can't she hear us?" she asks.

"Well under circumstances, I'm guessing during the accident when she was hit, due to her shock, her ears probable popped and hasn't reached back to the point where she can hear…yet." He says, "But she speaks for herself. That's when I discovered her disability. She kept asking questions and I was there answering back…and still she kept asking."

"But when do you think she can finally hear again?" Hinata said, grabbing onto the doctor's arm, "When she spoke, wasn't her eyes open?"

"No, I'm sorry. She can't hear us, but she can definitely see. She just chose not to open her eyes." He says, "She's still recovering her shock."

"Please, do everything you can to make Sakura come back to us!" Hinata held firmly to the doctor, her eyes stinging with tears.

"I'll do everything I can, miss. I notice how important she is to you. To all of you." He says, stepping back, "Please excuse, I got other patients to save."

"Yes, of course." Hinata let go of the doctor's arm, "Thank you."

Then the doctor exited. Hinata swallowed, Oh Sakura, please come back to us! She thought.

-

-

-

-

For the time being, Sakura was fighting against her eyelids.

"Why aren't you opening?" she thought to her eyes, "Why can I not see?"

Sakura thought aloud, "Is it morning yet…or still night?" she sighed, "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

Sakura felt like giving up but she couldn't. She had to be strong. She had to finish what she started. Open up! She thought. Her eyes struggling from the thought of opening was a refuse remark. Come on!

-

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-

-

The doctor came back, regarding three people at a time to visit Sakura, but have to remain calm and quiet. Mimi chan, Hinata, and Shikamaru went. Through the doors, they crept over to where Sakura laid, and listened to her breathe. The doctor went away leaving them alone with her.

"Hey Sakura." Mimi chan swept over to Sakura's left side while Hinata and Shikamaru went to her right.

"I don't think she can hear you." Shikamaru said, and then realized he just said that, "Sorry."

"No…no, it's alright. Although she can't hear us now, we can talk to her…and maybe she'll pick up and start talking." Hinata said, motioning to Sakura's sleeping form.

"Okay then." Mimi chan replied and Shikamaru nodding in return.

-

-

-

-

Sakura struggled with her lids but they just wouldn't open. And why couldn't she hear anything? What is wrong with her? What just happened to Sakura Haruno?! I admit it, she thought anxiously, I need--- I need…._help_.

"I need help!" she muttered aloud.

-

-

-

-

"Did ya hear that? She spoke to us; she needs our help!" Mimi chan and Hinata exclaimed at the same time.

Shikamaru looked down at Sakura's pale face; he could see her eyes roaming around behind her lids, trying to find out what happened. Shikamaru understood.

"Sakura?" He placed his hand in Sakura's and squeezed.

-

-

-

-

Although Sakura couldn't feel her left arm she felt something grab her hand and squeeze it. It was warm. Sakura's face scrunched up. A hand, she thought, whose hand is this?

"Who are you?"

-

-

-

-

Shikamaru squeezed her hand again, even if she didn't hear him say his name. Sakura lips parted, moving so quickly, "You…"

-

-

-

"Why won't you gimme a sign!? Who are you? Where am I? What happened to me?" Sakura's thoughts screamed aloud. Then all of a sudden, memories shot out from her.

Remembering the moment she was in her room then the bathroom then she was out the door, walking down the street then bright lights and then all was silence.

She could feel tears sliding down her face. It hurts so much, she thought, I can't be strong. I just can't. I proved Gaara wrong and my dad too. Why does everything have to be this way? Why is it always me?

Another hand squeezed my arm. Whispers. I can't hear them clearly but I know someone was there. Two actually. I swallowed.

Why do I have to be here? Why can't I feel my left arm? Why isn't anyone talking? What happened to me! Sakura's mind went on a rampage.

I have to be strong. I have to be strong. I have to be strong. Sakura thought. Sakura's right arm tense, sending tingles around her body. Sakura squeezed the person's hand.

-

-

-

-

Shikamaru looked up, "She's responding."

"I know. I see!" Mimi chan chirped.

Hinata smiled, "Oh we better tell the doctor!"

"I'll go!" Mimi chan sprinted to the door, but Hinata was there already.

"No. I'll do it. Last time you made a scene and if you do it again then everyone will be frantic!"

"Fine." Mimi chan pouted, as Hinata went out to retrieve the news to the doctor.

Sakura replied, "There were bright lights. And I completely didn't see them. I'm so stupid."

"No you're not." Shikamaru responded.

"I must be in hell then. All the things I did, rejected and in exile." Sakura sighed, "Stupid eyes won't work."

Shikamaru and Mimi chan looked at each other grinning and laughed.

"Oh Sakura chan." Mimi chan laughed, "I'm so happy."

-

-

-

-

"Oh Sakura chan…I'm so happy." Said a whisper but this time Sakura heard it clearer. She recognized it. Mimi chan.

"Well, I'm not. I'm in pain." She replied.

-

-

-

-

"OMG! She replied back to me! Sakura chan!" Mimi chan burst.


	21. Parted Reunions And Making A Deal

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 20 for ya? I hope it wasn't too sad. Oh and thanks for reviewing and giving me feedback! And more apologies; I'm sooooooo sorry for not updating like a good author should (but still after reading a good book from a series you just can't wait to know what happens next)!!! Anyways, here is Ch. 21!?**

Ch. 21 – Parted Reunions And Making A Deal

"_OMG! She replied back to me! Sakura chan!" Mimi chan burst._

Shikamaru squeezed Sakura's hand more tightly, "Sakura, don't let us worry like that over you!"

Sakura smiled, a hint she heard, "Sorry."

"Oh Sakura chan, we were sooo worried over you!" Mimi chan try to hold her tears but failed epically.

"Yeah I know." Sakura smiled weakly, finally opening her eyes, blinking a couple of times.

"What happened Sakura?" Shikamaru asked.

Sakura blinks, confusion surrounding her vision. Shikamaru prodded on, "We know all about what happened to you; but we're concerned about your condition? What was it like?"

"Um…nothing. I didn't see anything. All was black, nada." She says, "Supposingly, I thought it was still night time."

"Hm, well, by the way you were calling for help, it seemed---" he says but then Sakura cut him off.

"Help?" she coughed, "No such thing in my vocabulary."

"Oh Sakura chan," Mimi chan sniffled, "You called us for help, and we helped you. Please don't deny our strong love for you."

"I wasn't denying anything. I just… I just don't use the term 'help' in any circumstances unless I'm really in need of something."

"Mimi chan's right." Shikamaru says, "Don't use this against us. We tried everything to help you."

"Everything? Like what, holding my hand?" Sakura snickers, looking down at his hands that are still wrapped tightly around hers.

Shikamaru huffs, and lets go, "Please." He rolls his eyes.

"Look guys, I'm thankful, really. I'm just not used to this 'worried crap'; I'm okay really." Sakura announces.

"Crap?" Shikamaru breathes in the word, "Sakura, this isn't just crap, this is big crap. You know how long we waited for you to wake up and how Mimi chan and Hinata's been standing outside your door for more than two hours, waiting and trying to be strong for you? Do you think that's crap? Gaara and the others wanting nothing but 'for' you to wake up and be well again like you were before?"

Sakura glances at Mimi chan, and swallows, "Is that true?"

Mimi chan nods.

"No, I didn't know. And I'm sorry. I-I know what you're gonna say next, 'It's because you don't care and that you don't know anything so you can't be talking about 'crap'.' Yeah I know and I get it." Sakura nods, understanding every detail.

"Well, I wasn't going to be that harsh but I guess you said it for yourself." He chuckled.

Sakura chuckles too, hints that he was teasing. Sakura looks at the door, "So where is everybody? I thought they were waiting for me to wake up."

Shikamaru laughed, "Nah we'll just have you for ourselves."

Mimi chan and Sakura laughed at Shikamaru's greedy joke.

So once when everyone came to their senses, Hinata brought back the doctor, hearing the good news and enjoying the wonderful day of reunion of Sakura Haruno. Although no one has heard of any whereabouts Gaara might have gone off to, to sulk.

"Hey, Mimi chan," Sakura whispered, "Shikamaru mentioned Gaara was here; where is he now?"

"Um, I'm not sure. He walked off after his little quarrel with Naruto." She says, thinking.

"Quarrel?" Sakura thought, "What did he get himself into now?"

"Sakura chan!" Hinata hugged her, squeezing the life out of her.

"Whoa, okay I get it, you miss me!" Sakura laughed, "You can let go of me for dear life."

"I'm so happy you're alive, still." She replies.

"Still…" Sakura whispers, but grins, "Yet, you still clench me like a snake. I think Hinata secretly wants me dead."

Hinata gasps and lets go, "Oh gomen, no! I don't wish for you to die because you think I want you to. No I don't! You have to understand, Sakura chan, how longing I was for you to wake up. I missed you over those few minutes I left."

Sakura could tell she was about to cry, eventually she did. Sakura wiped her tears, "I known. Please don't cry."

Hinata smiled weakly, "I'll try."

The three laughed. The boys came over, Neji and Sasuke distant from the girls, but on the other hand, Shikamaru and Naruto and the rest gathered close near the three girls. Sakura smiled halfheartedly that she had companions to lean on. But something was missing. Someone in fact, and, Sakura couldn't smile wholly without him.

"When will I be out of here?" Sakura thinks aloud.

"Soon." Says the doctor as he walks in.

"When is soon, doc?" Sakura asks, "I wanna be out of this bed ASAP!"

"Haha, not with your condition, you're not." The doctor laughed.

"Ha. Ha, so not funny." Sakura made a joking expression but serious.

"Lets make a deal, you stay in bed for a week or two," the doctor says and continues before Sakura could interrupt, "that means if you feel like your whole body can move including your left arm. And come visit me through out the month just to check on your condition."

Sakura's mouth slid to a frown. She narrowed her eyes and thought about their deal, "And if I don't?"

"Then that's your choice." The doctor's eye saddened at the thought which gave Sakura the shivers, knowing she can get hurt without taking precautions.

But if I go against him, I'll be back where I started, dead inside and weak on the outside. But if I do as the doc says then there's no guarantee that I'll be dead less than a week.

Sakura thinks, how can I say no to a night in the hospital, full rest and station of freedom from the torturous school I'm forced to attend? But then again, how can I not say no to find whom I want to see and care to roam around with my new cohorts? This is getting too difficult for my taste.

Everyone waits for Sakura to decide, then Sakura looks up, looking deep into the doc's eyes, wondering if he's lying to her, tricking her so he could do something treacherous against her wishes or make her more sick and hurt than she already is. Of course he wouldn't, she thinks, he's a doctor, he wouldn't do something to me. Would he?

Sakura didn't see anything wrong then sighs, "Fine. But I decide when to visit you."

"Well…" he started then grins, "If that's your choice, then it's fine with me."

"Okay then. We got ourselves a deal." Sakura reaches out and shakes the doc's hand, then remembering her long lost trade with Naruto. Her eyes stops at his, his gaze searching hers, and she rolls her eyes taking him back in surprise. Her eyes commenting 'That wasn't too hard was it? I guess you were too chicken to take on my trade?'

He lowers his gaze and looks back. A shadow looms from behind the door.

Who could it be? Sakura thinks another visitor? Maybe it's Gaara. Sakura feels her insides warming up, hoping it's him.

The door slides open.


	22. Strike Two

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 21 for ya? I know it's a little late from updating it. But, here is Ch. 22!? Please gimme FEEDBACK!**

Ch. 22 – Strike Two

_He lowers his gaze and looks back. A shadow looms from behind the door. _

_Who could it be? Sakura thinks another visitor? Maybe it's Gaara. Sakura feels her insides warming up, hoping it's him._

_The door slides open.  
_

Sakura's eyes flash with excitement; everyone turns to see who the unknown visitor is. But when they see who it is; Sakura's expression hallows, her eyes saddens at the thought that it isn't Gaara but hides it quickly with a narrow, shallow expression. Her lip that was ready for a soft warming smile turns into a slight frown, fighting against the disappointment.

"Hello Sakura." Says Kasey Akito. Her gaze observes Sakura's position, "I hope I'm not too late."

Too late of what, Sakura thought, of me dying in front of your own eyes?

Sakura eyes slit into a glare, "Why are _you_ here?"

"Oh! Sakura, is this your mom?" Naruto asks aloud, "Nice to meet you, I'm Naruto Uzamaki, Sakura's friend."

"Friend?" Kasey replies.

"She's _not_ my mother." Sakura says, her glare turning into a narrow hatred dart.

Naruto sweat drops, "Oh! Well of course, you don't look anything alike although she has green hair like Mimi chan's."

"Yeah well, she's not. She'll never be." Sakura says, without looking at he cohorts, "Again, why _are_ you here?"

"I came to check up on you." She says.

"Well then, let's have Sakura and this lady some space. Please." The doc leads the rest of Sakura's companions out, leaving Sakura to deal with Kasey.

"Bye Sakura chan, good luck." Mimi chan and Hinata smiles at Sakura and then walks out the door, closing it from behind.

"Friends, huh? Wouldn't have imagined you meeting such good people especially the actress and actor, Hinata and her cousin Neji Hyuuga." She says, sitting in a chair across from Sakura's foot of the bed.

"Why are you really here?" Sakura says, not taking off her glare on her.

"I told you, to check up on you." She says.

"Yeah but why?"

"It's my job." Kasey says, following her gaze.

"I thought you didn't care." Sakura says, "I thought you wouldn't care about me, where I go, who I see?"

"Caretakers have to know things too. Just like a mother does with her child, need to know who she's friends with, where she's going, when she'll be back." Kasey replies, "Its all part of the job. You don't expect me to mind my business; it doesn't work that way, at all. Like a mother reading her child's diary, making sure her child isn't doing anything dangerous, or getting into wrong stuff, making sure her child is as clean and healthy minded, and, well you get the point."

"Were you a mother?" Sakura asks.

"No." she says, "But being a caretaker takes up a very strong responsibility you wouldn't have imagined."

"What's it like then? Tell me." Sakura said, "Cuz' clearly I wouldn't know after what had happened to me."

"What happened to you?" Kasey asks.

"I thought you'd you know since you're the caretaker. Didn't they give you details about me, any information?" Sakura wonders.

"No. So?" she asks.

"My mother abandoned me a few years after my father died from going to war." Sakura says, without hesitant.

"Oh." Kasey's eyes shifted, looking Sakura in the eye.

"What about it? I mean, tell me what it is like being a caretaker?" Sakura asks.

"It's hard. Hoping to work out a way for the child to be prepared for what comes next, to hope for the child for the best and to love the child as their own. I told you, a parent, guardian, companion, caretaker or whomever has to check up on the person their taking care of. It's all part of the job." Kasey informs Sakura.

"But that's not true! At all." Sakura replies, "It's just part of the job, you say. So what if there wasn't a job."

"Stupid," she chuckles, "Then I wouldn't be here, would I?"

"No, but what about my mother? How come she didn't come when they called?" Sakura says, anxiously.

"They didn't call." Kasey says, "They couldn't even find her."

"But you?" Sakura started to say.

"They didn't call me either." Kasey answered. She took a moment, "You see, I have a friend---"

"You have a friend?" Sakura jokes.

"A friend," Kasey continues, ignoring Sakura's hidden humor, "who was driving, and saw you get hit by a car. He called the hospital, and drove you over there. You see, he saved your life and if he wasn't there then you would certainly be dead if it wasn't for him. The doctor told him your injuries and so he went off and called me. He told me what happened. It wasn't hard to piece together; I knew you'd get in trouble eventually."

"Thanks." Sakura rolled her eyes.

"But it took me awhile to get around the accident with the ambulance and police, and get to the hospital. You should have seen it; it was huge, lots of people hanging around the sides, hard for the cars to get through. It was big and all because of you." She says, thinking of the thought, "But hey, you're still alive, so don't feel bad."

"Feel bad? What, did I kill the guy?" Sakura asks mockingly, "Cuz' he certainly deserves it for smashing into me."

"No. You killed her baby." Kasey says, darting a sad but mad look at Sakura's comment.

B-baby? Sakura thought, oh god, I'm a murderer, "Oh…sorry, I didn't know."

"Unfortunately, the mother survived, but is still grieving for her first and only child." She says, "She says---"

"Sounds like you just talked to her like she was here." Sakura thought aloud.

"She is here." Kasey says, looking up, "And she wants to talk to you."


	23. The Talk

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 22 for ya? Was it sad? Gimme feedback! Ch. 23!?**

Ch. 23 – The Talk

"_Unfortunately, the mother survived, but is still grieving for her first and only child." She says, "She says---"_

"_Sounds like you just talked to her like she was here." Sakura thought aloud._

"_She is here." Kasey says, looking up, "And she wants to talk to you."_

She's here! Sakura screamed in her mind, "M-me?"

Kasey nods, her head waving at the door, "She's in the waiting room."

"B-but, I can't meet her outside, I mean," Sakura stuttered, "I don't know what to say, 'Hey, I'm the girl who accidentally killed your baby'!"

"It won't be like that." She says, "You might have to think of something better to say."

"I told you I don't know what else to say!" Sakura urged.

"Then try, think!" Kasey added with a raised voice. Sakura was reminded of how she responded that to Naruto. She shivered.

"If you were me, what would you say?" Sakura asks.

Kasey looks at Sakura, then she stood and walked to the door, "I'm not you, so I wouldn't know what to say."

Sakura was about to say something when, Kasey slid the door open and slid out, closing the door behind her, leaving Sakura to think for herself.

-

-

-

"Miss Russo?" Kasey openly walked up to the minor injured mother of the lost baby.

"Yes?" Miss Russo answers, "Oh, it's you. Is it alright if I speak with her now?"

"It's all up to you when you want to speak to her," Kasey says, "She's waiting for you in there."

"Thank you." She says, and stands up, wiping a tear out of her eye.

"Miss Russo," Kasey exclaims, "I want to personally say my apologies for the girl who caused you your painful lost, I'm gravely sorry for all you went through. And I hope you understand how deeply our sorrow is for you; she never meant harm. Sakura is yet, still a dead, widow bud. Hasn't blossom from her recent incident from what you occurred. Please consider this a moment while she speaks."

Then Kasey bid her farewell and left. Miss Russo on the other hand walked in through the doors that led to Sakura.

-

-

-

Oh my god, Sakura thought, I killed her only child! I'm so dead! Well I was, but omg omg omg! Gasp! She's gonna kill me! Okay get a grip, Sakura, she's not going to kill you… she's going to murder you.

The door slid open again and in walked a woman, bent over like she was crippled. Sakura assumed she was the mother whose baby was killed by her and that she wanted to talk and secretly threaten her and kill her.

The woman sat in the seat that Kasey Akito last sat at. Sakura's gaze never left the woman's body. Sakura's lips parted and the first thing she said was, "Are you going to kill me?"

The woman looked up, stared at Sakura like she was crazy and then laughed. She laughed out loud. Sakura's face was confused and afraid at the same time, she didn't think what she said was anything funny.

"Oh no child, you really think I'm going to kill you?" the woman ceased her laughter.

Sakura took a moment then nodded, not trusting that laugh of hers. The woman smiled softly then shook her head, "No, not me."

"So then, what are you going to do to me?" Sakura couldn't help asking.

"Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you." She says which makes Sakura more uneasy and suspicious at the same time.

"B-but I don't understand. I killed your baby." Sakura says without her voice cracking up in the end.

"Yes you killed my baby." The woman says, unblinking, "And don't you be thinking I'm going to kill you because of my baby."

"But shouldn't I deserve to be dead instead of your baby." Sakura cries out.

"No." the woman says, "It doesn't work that way."

"Work?" Sakura asked confused, "W-wait, I don't even know your---"

"Russo Anglican, at your service." She said, slightly with a nod, "So like I was saying, it doesn't work like that. You see, Miss…?"

"Sakura, you can just call me Sakura." Sakura answers.

"Miss Sakura, the world is in our hands now. We take care of it. We help take care of it. We visualize it. And we come from it. We bring new life to it, and it comes in handy."

"Who's we?"

"The people. Everyone who's anybody. You and me." she explains, "We don't expect what comes next; we just simply live on with our lives. We're not foretold by a seer or someone in power with knowledge and understanding; we come from many a kind. But still we are so clueless, we don't have the time to think or even question ourselves why and what's going on around us, what's going to happen next?"

"What does this have to do with me killing your baby?" Sakura interrupts, impatiently.

"Everything." Miss Russo says plainly, "What happened just not too long ago; was not your fault. And I'm not here to blame you or hurt you, in any possible way."

Sakura looks down at her paralyzed arm, "Hmm, too late for that."

"I think it was just a plain accident." She says, "You see, I believe that it wasn't your time to die when it was my baby's turn to. New babies come in everyday in different parts of the world receiving their new lives to start and experience. Well my baby won't, but he'll experience what I haven't yet."

"Oh. You're one of those people who 'believe' things are 'possible' like miracles and stuff like that." Sakura states.

Miss Russo stares at Sakura, for a moment, Sakura thinks she had offended Miss Russo but then Miss Russo gave a nod and a smile to show that she believes what she believes.

"It's alright." She says, "You're the kind who doesn't give a care because all you care about is yourself."

Ooh, that stung, thought Sakura, she backfired on you, Sakura.

"Sorry." Sakura mutters as Miss Russo shrugs.

"I'm sorry too." Miss Russo says, "Well actually that's part of what I wanted to talk to you about. What's really on my mind is, how do you feel?"

"How do I feel?" Sakura scoffed.

She nodded, "Yes. How do you feel, now?"

"Um…on the contrary, I feel fine." Sakura answers.

Miss Russo nods, flipping her bangs out of her hair; Sakura swore she saw her rolling her eyes under her bangs.

"Yes. Well, I mean, how do you feel 'now'? Like what do you feel instead of fine?" Miss Russo elaborated.

"Can you be more specific?" Sakura asks.

"Can you define 'fine' in terms of how you actually feel now that you're speaking to the baby's mother?" Miss Russo, spread out her hands and looks straight into Sakura's eyes.

Sakura felt like she might flinch but stayed as she was, keeping her eyes locked with Miss Russo.

"In my vocabulary, fine means okay, I guess or alright and it's not a big of deal." Sakura says but then as she realizes what she says she wanted to take them back.

"Well dear, it's really a big deal now." Miss Russo says, "I want to know, do you feel guilt or you feel like you're a victim of some crime that you want to start doing yourself a favor like suicide? You want to cry out loud, scream, and thrash things about? You want to isolate yourself from everyone?"

"N-no." Sakura stutters then sighs, "Not really."

"Well…take your time." Miss Russo said, leaning back into her chair, crossing her legs over the other and her eyes still locked onto Sakura's.

"I-I feel like…" Sakura took a moment to think but then, her taste buds began to taste bitter and acid started to form in her throat, which could only mean one thing, "I feel like I'm going to puke!"

Sakura leans over the side of the bed and pukes, her hair tangled around her face. Miss Russo stands up and crosses over to Sakura's puked spot and pulls her hair back, gently patting her back, soothing her.

Once Sakura was done, Miss Russo passed a tissue over to her as Sakura gladly took it and wiped the remaining of slobber on her face. Sakura was too embarrassed to respond back to Miss Russo but seeing that she didn't care, she took a breath and eased it out.

"I-I'm not sure what to say." Sakura starts to stutter, "I-I mean I don't know what else to describe what fine is. To me fine is fine and that's all it matters to me. I think the puke on the floor explains it all."

Miss Russo nods, understandingly and gives Sakura's shoulder a squeeze, "Well that's alright if you're not sure now. But maybe someday you will."

Sakura could only nod. Miss Russo stood and placed something on Sakura's clean side where a table supported her needs, then walked to the door, "And when you do? Contact me on that piece of paper; I'll be waiting." Then she was gone.


	24. Speaking Of Subjects

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 23 for ya? Was it sad? Gimme feedback! Ch. 24!?**

Ch. 24 – Speaking Of Subjects

_Sakura could only nod. Miss Russo stood and placed something on Sakura's clean side where a table supported her needs, then walked to the door, "And when you do? Contact me on that piece of paper; I'll be waiting." Then she was gone._

Sakura's head snapped to her bedside table, and stared at the card. She didn't take and look at it, just stared at it. Sakura's eyes slid down to her left arm. She felt something in her chest; it squeezed and was still, nothing felt this broken since the time of her father's departure.

Sakura bowed her head and sniffled. She felt it and there was nothing to mend it. She grabbed the pillow from behind her back and yanked it to her face.

-

-

-

Outside the door, everyone had mentioned they stuff to do so they went off leaving Hinata, Mimi chan, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Gaara.

"Gaara nii, where have you been?" Hinata asked worriedly.

"Out." Gaara responded.

"Sakura's awaken." Mimi chan chirped, with a soft smile and a gleam her eye, "You should see her."

"Hn." Gaara replied again.

Naruto grunted and crossed his arms. Shikamaru shrugged not paying attention. Gaara walked to the door, before Mimi chan and Hinata stopped him as a lady known as Miss Russo stepped out.

She smiled at them and then slowly drifts off, away. Silence wavered in the waiting room. Then they turned away and sat back down. Gaara looked in through the window and saw Sakura yank her pillow to her face. It looked to anyone else who'd watch look like Sakura was about to do suicide.

-

-

-

Sakura buried her face in the pillow and screamed into it. A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from her pillow and held it. Sakura gasp and looked up from her pillow and saw Gaara kneeling on her bedside, holding her hand.

His gaze met her wet ones. Gaara blinked slowly and gazed deeper till Sakura was lost in his. She thought she blinked, but she hadn't, would never blink from his for his eyes were such a black hole. Her sad lips started up then filled in a soft smile.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey." She replied.

"Don't cry, ugly." He says.

Sakura ignores his comment, "I'm not crying."

"Good." He nods, "Finally awake, eh?"

"Not really. Tired." Sakura stifled a yawn.

Gaara chuckled, "So, I'll wait when you're ready."

Sakura tensed remembering those words from Miss Russo. Gaara noticed and knitted his brows together, "What?"

"Oh it's nothing." Sakura's lip quivered slightly.

"What is it?" Gaara asked, "Sakura?"

She hadn't heard him say her name for a long time, since before he left her. She dropped her head into the pillow once again and talked muffles into it.

"Can't hear you," Gaara noted.

"I-I said. T-that lady be-before you came here, t-that just w-walked out," she stuttered, then spoke it out too fastly that Gaara only made out words that he could understand, "'msorryidid,!"

(A/N: Those who can't read it, it says: I killed her baby on accident. And I'm sorry I did, cuz I feel guilty and bad and really ashamed and she just asked me how I was!")

Gaara stared at her. Not in shock or pity, but in the most caring way. His hand crept up to her back and smooth out the wrinkles on her hospital dress. Her shoulders shook and he knew she was about to cry. But instead, Sakura was laughing. Laughing at her self.

"She asked me how I was! How did I feel about it?" she laughed a shaky laugh, "I mean, what kind of lady does that? Especially after some random girl on the streets ran in front of her car and killed her baby."

Gaara was silent the whole time Sakura explained what happened. Slow memories returning to her in one swift action.

"I'm sounding crazy laughing like this, don't you think?" Sakura ceased her laughter.

Gaara took a moment to ponder on her question then shrugged, "Hn."

"No really, I sound absolutely crazy."

"If you say so."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean! Are you implying that I am crazy?" she yelled and playfully hit his arm.

Gaara rubbed where she hit him, and nodded.

"That's mean you know." She says as he shakes his head, "Gaara, how can you shake your head like that?"

"Hn." He replied.

Sakura smiled and shook her head as well, "You're impossible, you know that?"

"How?" he asked.

"Sometimes…" she pondered, "Sometimes, you act like you don't care but you do. And I bet no one can read your 'hn's' better than me or Mimi chan can."

"Hn."

"Bet you didn't know Mimi chan can read you too. You're like an open book to her." Sakura laughed.

Gaara rolled his eyes, "So? Anyways, stop changing the subject."

"How did 'I' change the subject?" she gasped in disbelief, "I didn't, you did."

"No I simply gave you a honest answer to your crazy question." He says.

"Well!" Sakura parted her lips then huffed, "Fine! Back to the subject!"

"Who was that lady?" Gaara asked first.

"Who? Oh, um, her name is Miss Russo, you know the mother of the baby I killed." Sakura answered.

"Yeah, I know that, I mean, who is she really?" Gaara says, and then broke it down, "In my terms, what is she?"

"What do you mean, 'what'?" Sakura raised a brow, "Just some mother whose baby I killed."

"No, what is she?" Gaara asks.

"Um, let me think… a mom." Sakura replied.

"No, I mean," Gaara huffed then stood up, spotting the card that laid print first onto the table as he picked it up and examined it, "Oh."

"What?" Sakura asked, eyeing the card in Gaara's hand.

"Never mind your opinion then." He says.

"Pardon me?" Sakura scoffed, "What does it say?"

"Look for yourself." Gaara flicked the card at Sakura as it landed on her lap. Sakura took a moment shooting a glare at Gaara then picking up the card and reading it. It read:

**Need Help or Just to Talk, You Picked**

**Miss Russo**

**Psychologist 4 Psychotherapy **

**Call me : 01-633-0927** ((A/N: Made up numbers, so don't start calling this random number and answering to someone else. It happens, trust me, been there, done that, XD.))

Sakura read it over twice then again and again until the information sunk into her brain and corrupted her thoughts, "Oh. My. God."


	25. Taking Sides

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! How was chapter 24 for ya? I hope those who were confused from Ch. 23, get it in Ch. 24. Sorry it made you confused. Gimme feedback! Ch. 25!?**

Ch. 25 – Taking Sides

_**Need Help or Just to Talk, You Picked**_

_**Miss Russo**_

_**Psychologist 4 Psychotherapy **_

_**Call me : 01-633-0927**_

_Sakura read it over twice then again and again until the information sunk into her brain and corrupted her thoughts, "Oh. My. God."_

Gaara stood back. Sakura looked up, her face hardened at whatever she was thinking. He knew it wasn't good.

I can just hear it now, she thought, people pitying me (**Not TRUE at all**), helping me (**No HELP necessary**), you _need _help, Sakura; you _need _help (**NO NEED!**)!

Gaara stood silently at her side, watching her face changes into different expressions. She finally snapped out from her thoughts, "Gimme a pillow!" she demanded.

Gaara grabbed a pillow from Sakura's earlier incident and threw it over his shoulder.

"Wth?!" Sakura shrieked, "I said gimme not throw it behind you!"

"Sakura…" Gaara muttered gradually, "Have you thought about what's going on around you?"

"What are you talking about?" Sakura glared at him.

"The people around you." He answered.

"Yeah, so what's your point? They think I'm insane and I need help!" Sakura yelled at him.

"That's the point."

"What's the point?"

"You _do_ need help." He says, "I know it sounds crazy to you, but for us, we _want_ to help you."

"And who's we?" Sakura glared daggers at him, "Oh never mind, just gimme the damn pillow!"

Gaara shook his head, "We, meaning your friends."

"I don't have any friends!" Sakura spat.

This time, it was Gaara's turn to scrunch up his brows and looked deep into Sakura's eyes, "_**Yes. You. Do.**_"

Sakura looked taken aback, but she just sat there, staring back into his eyes.

-

-

-

Meanwhile, Mimi chan was outside the room with Neji, whispering to each other.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Mimi chan couldn't help but ask.

"HN, lemme think, oh, I don't know." Neji replied, bored.

"It must be something very important."

"Or something very awkward."

"Really? Like what?"

"I don't know Mimi chan."

Mimi chan pouted, "You're a poor sport."

Neji rolled his eyes, "Fat chance. I'm not the type of person eavesdropping into someone else's conversation."

Mimi chan gasped, "Great idea." As she pulled on Neji's arm, he cringed to the corner walls.

"No, it's wrong."

"Stop being such a scaredy cat, I just wanna know what they're talking about."

"Have you heard of 'mouse trap caught the mouse'?"

"Um, isn't that when a mouse sees its cheese on a mouse snapper thingy and races for it, but then it snaps on the mouse, and the mouse dies?" Mimi chan wondered aloud.

Neji sweat dropped, "Not exactly what I had in mind. But you know who the mouse is?"

"Um…no?"

"You." Neji glared at Mimi chan, "And I'm the cheese who gets away, and the trap is them. Do you want that?"

"Ooo Cheese!" Mimi chan squealed, "So, what are you going to put the cheese in? Sub way? Or a hamburger? Oh wait, that's right, what kind of cheese is it?"

Neji sweat dropped again, "Ugh. Forget the cheese!"

"Okies," Mimi chan shrugged, dropping the subject, "So are you up to it?"

"Up for what?"

"Checking them out."

"No."

Mimi chan pouted, "You really are a poor sport."

"Oh shut up; look, if you wanna do it, go ahead and be my guest!" Neji took a step back.

Mimi chan spat out, "Fine! Be a cheese stick! You're no fun to be with anyways!"

Neji narrowed his eyes at her, "Fine, I'll go with you."

"Ya—" Mimi chan started to celebrate but Neji interrupted.

"But you have to promise me you'll never call me 'cheese stick' again!" Neji crossed his arms.

Mimi chan looked at Neji with a smile and thought, oh please, he won't even remember tomorrow, so why bother promising him?

"Fine, I promise." She says.

Neji nodded and they opened the door slowly and listened in.

-

-

-

Shikamaru was about to tell Mimi chan and Neji that Hinata and Naruto were going home but will be back tomorrow when he overheard Mimi chan calling Neji a "cheese stick". He cackled a laugh and heard Neji promise her not to say it again.

He overcame his composure and walked towards them as they opened the door to listen in.

"Hey, what'd you guys doing?" Shikamaru popped up behind them.

-

-

-

Neji and Mimi chan gasped aloud, Mimi chan tripping backwards as the door swings open revealing them three.

- REWIND

-

"I don't have any friends!" Sakura spat.

This time, it was Gaara's turn to scrunch up his brows and looked deep into Sakura's eyes, "_**Yes. You. Do.**_"

Sakura looked taken aback, but she just sat there, staring back into his eyes.

The door swung open, and in sweep Mimi chan on the floor, Neji shaking his head and Shikamaru slowing raising his hand and waving at Sakura and Gaara.

"W-what's going?" Sakura asked.

"Wtf Shikamaru?" Neji glared at Shikamaru.

"Sorry." Shikamaru sweat dropped.

"Shikamaru kun!" Mimi chan stood up, brushed herself off and hugged Shikamaru.

"Hi Mimi chan." He says, returning her hug.

"Omg, I thought you were the doc for a sec, haha!" Mimi chan laughed.

"Really now? Well, I just came to tell you that Hinata and Naruto went home and will be returning tomorrow."

"Wth?" Neji snapped, "Not together, are they?"

"Bite your tongue, Neji!" Mimi chan lectured Neji, "It's not good to curse or swear in front of an injured friend."

"Shut up Mimi chan!" Neji snapped, "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this situation!"

"Ok, blame it all on me!" Mimi chan placed her hands on her hips, "You're the one who agreed to go along with me!"

"Yeah well that's different." Neji narrowed his eyes at her.

"Neji, stop yelling at her, she didn't do anything serious!" Shikamaru tried calming down his friends.

"Oh so you're taking her side then?" Neji glared at him.

"Well no." Shikamaru started.

"Don't bring him into this! And what, Shikamaru, you're siding with him?" Mimi chan pouted.

"No. I'm actually—" Shikamaru started again.

"Then who are you siding with!?" Mimi chan and Neji asked at the same time, frustrated.

Shikamaru glanced at both of them then turned away, "I don't know and I don't care. I'm going home, so let Sakura and Gaara make the judge of that."

Then he left.

Sakura and Gaara, thought Neji and Mimi chan as they now remembered they were still there with them, and glanced at them, feeling guilty.

Sakura and Gaara stared back at them; Sakura feeling the worst guilty as any of them.

"I'm—" Sakura started then changed her sad words, "I'm still confused, wth just happened?"


	26. A Nobody

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! Sorry for the long wait, I was just taking a break! How was chapter 25 for ya? Was it confusing? Sorry it made you confused. Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 26!?**

Ch. 26 – A No Body

_Sakura and Gaara, thought Neji and Mimi chan as they now remembered they were still there with them, and glanced at them, feeling guilty._

_Sakura and Gaara stared back at them; Sakura feeling the worst guilty as any of them._

"_I'm—" Sakura started then changed her sad words, "I'm still confused, wth just happened?"_

"Oh Sakura chan," Mimi chan ran to her bedside and hugged Sakura.

Sakura being the tough girl she could muster, awkwardly hugged Mimi chan back, "I asked a question."

"Gomenasai Sakura chan." Mimi chan made a pout look, "It was my idea. I wanted to know what you were talking about with Gaara."

"You idiot." Neji muttered.

Sakura stared at her friend's back, with a straight frown on her face, "Why?"

"I was just curious." Mimi chan mumbled, "I mean, I was wondering why Gaara was taking so long in here…and I think I know why…"

There was a moment of silence, and then Sakura broke it, glaring up at Neji and Mimi chan, "S-so, you were spying on us?"

"Technically it's eavesdropping." Mimi chan blurted.

"Baka." Neji mentally met his palm.

"I'm sorry Neji, I just can't help lying to Sakura chan; she's my second friend!"

Neji shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Yeah go ahead, and bring me into this…which you already did."

"Gomenasai Neji kun! Oh, and I made Neji come with me, so spare his life." Mimi chan bowed at shocked Sakura.

Neji being the dangerous type, met his palm again, "Oh my god, seriously?"

Gaara crossed his arms and stared at Sakura. Sakura— still shocked; her face turned into a frightening look.

"Get away from me." Sakura muttered to herself.

"Eh?" Mimi chan gasped.

Sakura pushed Mimi chan away by the arm, "Go away!"

Everyone seems taken aback. Mimi chan's eye brows arch, "Nani, Sakura chan?"

"Don't, okay!" Sakura glares at Mimi chan "Don't pretend to be innocent with me!"

"But I—" Mimi chan started but Sakura ended up interrupting her.

"Just. Go. Away." Sakura deepened her glare.

Mimi chan's eyes watered as Neji stepped up, "Chill Sakura, she didn't mean to—"

"Shut up Neji!" she turned to Neji, "You and her, leave!"

"Wait, you can't ju—" Neji argued.

Sakura pressed a button her side of the bed. Soon a nurse came and Sakura pleaded, telling him that these people are bothering her, and she's sleepy and doesn't want to be disturbed. And so the nurse shooed them out. Mimi chan turned around, her tears struggling against falling.

"Sakura chan?" Mimi chan's lip quivered, "I thought you were my fri—"

"Well…you thought wrong…" Sakura looked away.

"Sakura, please…" Mimi chan started but Sakura raised a hand.

"Save it. I don't want to hear it. Just…leave me alone…"

"I really did believe…" Mimi chan whispered, looking down, her tears daring to fall.

Sakura didn't turn around; Mimi chan scrunched up her brows, "But you know what Sakura? I think…I think you're just scared of the truth!"

With that said, Mimi chan ran out the door, slamming it on her way out, leaving Sakura thinking to herself, "Yeah, scared."

The following weeks added up and Sakura was let out of the hospital. She came back to school regularly like nothing had changed…except the part where the rest of her friends weren't her friends.

Sakura continued not seeing them through the halls, or in classes with each other; she didn't bothered sitting with them at lunch, or greeting each other at their lockers, Sakura remained unseen and visibly unknown.

But that changed quickly when Gaara went up to Sakura and pulled her aside.

"Look at me." he demanded.

She looked at him with dull eyes.

"What's going on with you?" he snapped, "It's like you're falling apart, like you're a dead mummy awakened by its master!"

"Hn." She replied, shrugging and dozing off.

He shook her shoulders, "Get a grip!"

Then she snapped her head up at him, her dull eyes bored into his, "What do you want? Can't you see I'm trying to fit in?"

"You call this fitting in?" Gaara hissed, "No one doesn't even know you exist!"

"What's it to you?" Sakura hung her head to the side.

"Sakura, I've known you since you were young, since I met you, and I know I haven't been there for you lately and I'm—"

Sakura got mad, "No! You weren't there for me; you didn't save me when I needed saving; you left me! Without no purpose, no reason! You come back like nothing happened, but you know what? I'm sick and tired of being treated like a…a freak!"

She said it too loudly. The hall was quiet, everyone was looking, listening. Gaara and Sakura didn't move an inch, didn't make physical contact except to each other.

"Don't call yourself that, you're not a freak!" Gaara growled.

There was cough in the crowd. Sakura's eyes narrowed. Gaara's growl grew louder. Silence.

"How would you know?" Sakura hissed, "You don't know me!"

"I know you too well—" Gaara insisted.

"I've changed!" Sakura huffed, jerking out from his grip.

"S-Sakura…?" Gaara tried a grab at her but she stepped back.

"If you know me then tell me this…" Sakura stopped.

Gaara waited.

"What's my purpose in life?" Sakura stated.

Quickly Gaara parted his lips but Sakura beat him to it, "Wrong, if you'll excuse me, I got a class to attend." Then she walked away, pass the crowd and out of sight.

Gaara dropped his hand, "Karen."

A squeaky voice spoke up, "Y-yes Gaara k-kun?"

Gaara knew it wasn't her this time, "Hn." And turned around, going the opposite direction.


	27. Spoken Memories

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! Sorry for the long wait, I was just taking a break! How was chapter 26 for ya? I know it was short. Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 27!?**

Ch. 27 – Spoken Memories

"_What's my purpose in life?" Sakura stated._

_Quickly Gaara parted his lips but Sakura beat him to it, "Wrong, if you'll excuse me, I got a class to attend." Then she walked away, pass the crowd and out of sight. _

_Gaara dropped his hand, "Karen."_

_A squeaky voice spoke up, "Y-yes Gaara k-kun?"_

_Gaara knew it wasn't her this time, "Hn." And turned around, going the opposite direction. _

In Orichimaru's class, Sakura angrily stabbed her led into the table and started doodling onto it, not caring if she got caught or called on. It was quiet in the room when she came in, then came hush whispers when everyone went to their seats, then more awkward silence.

"Well classss, I assssure you, there issss no homework for today." Orichimaru announced but it didn't seem to reach the student's ears.

The class went on, and then finally Orichimaru tapped on Sakura's desk, "Missss Sssssakura? Pleassssssse go to the board and answer the remaining."

Sakura looked up at him, her dull eyes meeting his, "No."

The room went dead silent; everyone was shocked at her response.

"Nani?"

"I don't feel like it."

"You don't have to feel it to not like doing it; you jusssst need to get up on your feet and walk to the board and ansssssswer." He hissed.

Sakura stands, kicks her chair back, walks past her teacher to the board and starts digging the chalk into the board. It read 'KISS MY ASS!' as Sakura walked out the door.

Outside, Sakura ran her finger tips against the lockers as she walked, boredly, she dragged her feet. She went to the emergency door and kicked it open, sending a alarm off.

Sakura walked out, clearly relieved and a bit startled but she didn't care. She didn't seem to care these days. She thought back at what happened between her and Mimi chan; shaking her head at the thought, the replay of their conversation, rewinding what Mimi chan told her before she ran out the room leaving Sakura guilty of her attitude.

Sakura scrunched up her hands into fists, her brows creased, her lips forming into a frown, her eyes— dull as ever, bore into the dirt, her eyes drilling holes onto it as if she can reach China from there.

"She wasn't my friend from the start, nor was any of them!" Sakura thought angrily as she kicked a rock, "They were just acquaintances. I should have known this would happen eventually. It always does. I should have realized it sooner, they were using me! They're fakes just like the world is fake! The world hates me, and I hate the world!

I couldn't care less of what happens to me! Why does it always have to happen to me anyways? Why do I have to be treated like this! I don't deserve any of this! It wasn't my fault I was given birth and raised! It wasn't my fault daddy went off to war and died! It wasn't my fault I changed into a freak; think about how the other foster parents thought about me, what maniacs! It wasn't my fault, I swear!"

_Flash back_

_ "You worthless child!" her mother screamed at six year old Sakura, slapping her in the face, "If it wasn't for you, my loving husband wouldn't have gone off to war and died in the middle of the battle field!"_

_Sakura stayed put, "He would've gone to war anyways!"_

_ "What'd you say?" Her mother grabbed her hair and pulled her across the room, slamming her against the wall._

_ "I said he would've gone to war even if I wasn't born!" Sakura leaned against the wall, cradling her arms._

_ "You have a smart mouth!" her mother came closer, cornering Sakura; "I don't like people being smart with me!"_

_Sakura's mom grabbed her, slapped her, abused her, kick her endlessly in the stomach; Sakura had bruises and cuts for weeks on end. Sakura was abused by her crazy mother who hated her guts more than anything. _

_"Why'd he have to go and die? Why couldn't you die instead! Why! Why! Why!" her mother screeched._

_Sakura felt her mother's pain, the sorrow of her father's death, the pain held inside her, grabbing at her rib cage, threatening to clench the handles (bones) and break them; her screams locked tightly in her mind is killing her heart, the beats are off and the feelings are mixed up. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut._

_ It's over for me, she thought, there's no one that can save me now! No one who loves me! No one…like daddy! He's gone, dead, and gone to heaven. He's not with me, not by my side… Daddy! I love you, I miss you! I'd die for you…just please please stay with me!_

_Sakura's eye lids fell close, her body limp, her muscles weak, her head hung back showing off her bruised and scratched up face, her hair tangled everywhere, her throat marks of her mother's hands. _

_Sakura's mother gasped with a terrified look as she thought she killed her daughter; she cried and screamed until someone came and called 911. Her mother had to lie and told them she found her daughter like this already but didn't know who hurt her daughter. _

_A mother would lie for her daughter, right? No, a mother would lie to save themselves. _

_End of Flash back_

She met her destination. She looked up from glaring at the ground, she's been here before, the very first day she came to the school, the secret garden. She remembered what she told her self, that she'd maybe sometime come and clean up here like the girl in the story used to do and the garden would bloom in its days. Sakura's frown inched up on the sides of her face. She walked over to a nearby tree, its branches dead at the moment, hung down in a heap of tiredness. She touched the tree, closing her eyes, she could feel the emptiness.

She sighed and crossed over to a broken down bench and sat down. How lonely the garden was, how lonely she felt. How earth shaken everything seems to be. The garden, her life, her family and frie— no friends to come and comfort her. No friends to call and chill out, to laugh and spread the love, no friends to be by her side.

_For. Eh? Gomenasai, Sakura chan!_

"_I think her hair looks…nice." muttered a girl, "Like a cherry tree…blossoming."_

"_Um, Sakura chan. I was looking everywhere for you. I supposed the rumors are true, that everyone who gets lost turns out to be standing under the wishing tree." she said softly. Then she gasped, "Oh! Not that I believe in rumors. They're just talk. I mean, if a group was talking about a person, then they really don't know about that person to be talking about them. Well, what I'm saying…is that… well, uh… you have to get to know that person then judge them. Not by how they look or how they talk or what they are, but how they treat you. That's what I think it should be like…"_

_Sakura stared at Hinata, "This girl," she thought, "is so different from the others, even from Gaara. This girl knows the truth. _

"_Wait, stop thinking like this Sakura, wasn't she the one who defended you on the bus? Wasn't she the one who cared for her teacher that was going to be fired soon? Wasn't she the one who just spoke the truth about what she thought rumors are? So give her a chance, don't ruin this for the sake of trying."_

"_Yes. It is to me; I can't even tell you what it's like. I mean, I haven't had the feeling being alone from someone would be that…lonely. But, with you…I feel…I don't know, welcomed. Not alone, safe. Even if you are a convict of some kind. But, I still like you as you and I don't want you to change from who you are. If you did something wrong, keep it that way. I want to be friends with someone that had made mistakes in their life and from something they took blame for something they didn't do because…" _

Drip.

Sakura felt tears sliding down her face. It wasn't like I unfriended them! Sakura thought, I just told them to leave me alone! I didn't mean it the other way…and now they hate me! This is your entire fault Sakura! My entire fault! Why! Mom's right; maybe I should've died instead of dad! He could have had a great life without me! And mom would still be happy! She wouldn't have any troubles, she'd be happy! They both would be happy…if I wasn't around! If I wasn't there, if I wasn't born, if I was— wasn't…

More tears sprung from her eyes, and dripping off her cheek fell into a hidden pot of soil. Her sorrow of pain came forth first, then guilt, then a pit of loneliness, sadness, emptiness from all those years of holding it in.

Why does it have to be me? Always me! It was my own fault that I caused Neji to have amnesia! It was my fault I sent Daddy off to war! It was my fault Mom turned against me, and it was my fault, Gaara left me! _It's always your fault Sakura, why do you have to live so much to ruin things for the best! _I hate it! I hate you! I hate you, Sakura!

Sakura's shoulders dropped and trembled, her face numb and vibrated. Sakura's tears stinging her eye lids and her mouth turning ruefully upside down.

I'm so…


	28. Shutting Out

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! Okay, after my absence, I've been working non stop of Ch. 27, I know, it's a bit of the sad side, poor Sakura. But rest assure, maybe something good will pop up in the next few chapters…or maybe not, you'll have to keep reading. Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 28!**

Ch. 28 – Shutting Out

_Sakura's shoulders dropped and trembled, her face numb and vibrated. Sakura's tears stinging her eye lids and her mouth turning ruefully upside down._

_I'm so…_

I'm so sick of this! I'm so sick of everything! My head hurts; there's nothing more than to cry my eyes out and walk home solemner. Home…I don't have a home… Sakura thought, swallowing the last of her tears. Wiping them away with the back of her hand, she stood up steadily, and shakily made her way out from the garden and off school's boundaries.

Sakura crossed her arms, cuddling them, making sure she doesn't die from the cold. And heck, it's autumn. Sakura sighed. There's always something that happens! She thought to herself, something that happens to me! I'm like a troubled magnet.

A breeze hit her, she shivered and kept walking. Another wind hit her face, but she kept walking. Then like on a direct hit, a full force of wind targeted her and she cried out.

"Who forgot to shut away the wind?!" she yelled out to no one.

Old people, who passed her by, stared at her weirdly, none the less; Sakura kept walking ignoring those who stared at her.

It was getting dark by the time Sakura was one block away from her street, a mysterious hand grabbed her from behind. Sakura made a choking noise before she was stashed into an alley.

"Hey! Let go of me! Who are you?" Sakura struggled against the hold.

There was a gruff sound and a smell of alcohol. Sakura was disgusted. The hand tightened the grip, drowning out Sakura's defense. Sakura squirmed and coughed.

"Shuddup." The gruffy voice said finally, noting Sakura; it was a man around his fifties, drunk.

"Lemme go! What do you want?" Sakura coughed, turning her head away.

The drunkard didn't let go, he sniffed her neck which made Sakura really nervous.

"What do I want? Hmm, I can think of a few." He muttered. Sakura straightened and thought, I didn't mean it literally!

Sakura squinted, "How about a tic tac?"

The drunkard seemed to distaste her attitude and threw her against the wall, "Don't be smart with me; I don't like smart people!"

_Flash back_

_Mommy. "I don't like smart people! Are you calling me stupid; is that it?" she screamed in six year old Sakura's face. _

_Sakura shook her head uncontrollably. "Then why are you being smart with me?" her mom screamed. _

_Sakura whimpered, "I'm not being smart with— Eep!" Sakura's face turned to the side, a red mark marked her face._

_ "You are stupid! Why you getting up in my face and telling me you're not being smart when you are!" Sakura's mom yelled at her, grabbing for her hair. Sakura jumped back and cried out, "I'm not! I'm not! Please, I won't do it again!"_

_ "Never do it again, you hear?!" she yelled, as Sakura nodded, crying. Her mom narrowed her eyes, "Or else I'll throw you out in the streets and let some random fellow pick you up and kinks you!" _

_Sakura didn't know what "kink" meant and she didn't wanna know what it meant…ever! Sakura's shoulder shook, her eyes widen at the thought of being abandon; it was the worst feeling than being abused! _

_Sakura apologized; crying to her mom— her mom being the serious type glared down at her and screamed until Sakura fell to her knees— cuddling in a ball— whimpering. Then her mom stomped out of the room and slammed the door to her room._

_End of Flash back_

"Scream and I'll slit your throat till you bleed to death. And I'll add you on my list!" the drunkard smirked.

List, wondered Sakura, he raped and killed girls before? Although Sakura might look tough on the outside, she was actually hiding the fact that she was scared…real scared. The look on her face now wasn't fear but shock. She can't let this guy rape her! It wasn't likely to happen this way! Sakura scrunched up her face and pushed him away using all her might, and then with a swift turn, she ran out from the alley and down the block to her safe house.

She slammed the door, making sure to lock it behind her, check the small window before running upstairs to her room, and also slamming the door, doing the routine check and jumping into her bed, and hiding under her covers.

"Sakura, is that you?" a voice from behind her door asked.

_Kasey Akito._

Sakura made a grunt sound and made an effort to say, "Please leave me alone! I just want to be alone…for now!"

The voice then faded away and all was silence except for Sakura's breathing and her sobbing sounding lower and uncontainable.


	29. Comfort Cries

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! Okay, I know Ch. 28 was short; sorry, but I felt the need to stop there. Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 29!**

Ch. 29 – Comfort Cries

_Sakura made a grunt sound and made an effort to say, "Please leave me alone! I just want to be alone…for now!"_

_The voice then faded away and all was silence except for Sakura's breathing and her sobbing sounding lower and uncontainable. _

You couldn't say I told you so, said inner Sakura. Sakura shrugged. She didn't feel anything except deep pain for her loss and inheritance of misfortune.

I tried to tell you they were bad news! Did you listen, no; you were too busy making friends and guess what? You have **NO** friends! At All!

"Shut up!" Sakura muttered to her self, "Shut up! You don't know anything about me!"

I do, says inner Sakura, I'm you; I've always been here for you.

"Have you? Because I don't remember once hearing you or knowing you've been there. Not once!" Sakura's voice rose.

Well I have! Inner Sakura spoke softly, and if you can't see that I'm always ALWAYS here for you, then I'm sorry to say—

Sakura waited but she didn't hear a response back from her inner. Sakura bit her lip and then made a muffle cry. She stayed like that the whole night and then it was morning.

There was a knock on her door. And then another loud knock came. Then a bang knocks. Then the door came crashing through…just kidding, nah just a normal loud knock. Sakura doesn't answer for the sake of her behavior. She didn't wanna make this day get any worst. Actually, she felt sick!

(A/N: Hey guys! It's April Fool's Day! I totally fooled everyone! Fun, fun, fun! Have a great one!)

"Go away!" she croaked.

Knock.

"I said go away!"

Another knock.

"Don't you listen?" Sakura's voice rose.

And yet, another knock responded.

"Akito! I swear, if it's you knocking on my door repeatedly, I will—" Sakura moaned but stop when Akito yelled from downstairs.

"Stop making that ruckus up there!"

Sakura raised a brow and looked at the door frustrated. She thought, if Akito is downstairs…then who's knocking on my freaking door?

And a knock came again. Sakura groaned aloud, and got out of bed and dragged herself to the door. She opened the door, almost ripping it out from its hinges and was startled when she found Hinata standing behind it the whole time.

"Oh!" Hinata smiled sheepishly and sweat dropped, "Gomen, I didn't think you heard my knock."

Sakura stared at Hinata then roughly brushed her hand through her hair, "…So, what are you doing here?"

Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously and mumbled a few words to herself then she spoke again, "I-I came to see if you would like to hang out."

Sakura was taken aback, hang out, she thought, how can this girl be so determined to hang out with me after the way I treated them, everyone, even her?

"Um…sorry, I'm sorta busy right now." Sakura excused herself.

Hinata nodded absentminded, "Akito sama told me you were free today! Besides, it's Saturday and I thought maybe you'd like to take a walk with me."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and cursed Akito in her head then she slowly glanced at Hinata's remaining form and shrugged, "I guess so…since I— well, let me change first."

Hinata smiled softly and nodded, "I'll be downstairs waiting."

Sakura swallowed and nodded, "Yeah." Then closed the door behind her and leaned on the wall, thinking.

After changing into some clothes, Sakura headed downstairs. Hinata laughed along with Akito. Sakura cleared her throat and looked at the exit, "You coming or what? I don't have all day."

"Grouchy much." Akito rolled her eyes as Hinata nodded and apologized then before leaving said her good bye to Akito.

Hinata and Sakura walked along the side walk; they headed towards the beach, it was a good day and Hinata was ambitious as well to make a conversation instead of an awkward silence between them.

"I-it's been awhile, Sakura chan!" Hinata stuttered.

"Yeah?" Sakura agreed, boredly.

Hinata twiddled her fingers, and nodded, "I was wondering if you'd like to join me at a bon fire this weekend."

Sakura remained silent, "I don't know."

"Oh please say you'll go Sakura chan!" Hinata begged.

Sakura shrugged, "Depends…who else is going…besides me?"

"Oh well…I'm not exactly sur—" she replied innocently.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Stop lying Hinata. I know you're an actress, but you don't have to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about in front of me."

Hinata swallowed and looked up at Sakura, "I don't think I should."

"Cuz you'll be disappointed if I don't go if you told me who would be there." Sakura stopped walking.

Hinata stopped ahead of Sakura and then nodded slowly. Sakura waited then started walking again, "I don't care."

Hinata brought her fist to her chin, thinking what she meant by that. Sakura then turned to Hinata, "Anyways, how'd you find me? How'd you know where I lived— I never gave anyone less you my address, where I was staying."

"I told you before…I got connections."

"What the school office? Real swell." Sakura roll her eyes.

Hinata shook her head, "No, not that…Sakura chan, would you be mad if I told you?"

"Depends…"

Hinata gulped, "Gaara nii told me."

Sakura stopped walking and blinked. What, she thought, Gaara knows my address? Why, I never told him where I was staying either…or did he— no, he couldn't…he wouldn't— stalk me?

"Oh? Well, that's just swell." Sakura glared at the ground.

"Gomenasai Sakura chan, I knew you'd be mad if I told you." Hinata bowed her head.

"Dry those tears Hinata. I thought we were gonna have fun today!" Sakura flashed her eyes at Hinata, then she walked ahead and turned, sticker her tongue out at Hinata. Hinata stunned by the presence and then gladly rushed ahead, racing Sakura to the beach side.

The day was almost over when Hinata and Sakura walked back to Sakura's station house.

"I had fun today, Sakura chan. We should do it again sometime." Hinata grinned.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah…it's been awhile since—" then she stopped, "Um, well, have a good night…be careful while going home…"

Hinata nodded, "Arigatou." Then Sakura watched as Hinata walked down the street, out in the open, the day was getting dark. Night was coming, a flash of regret washed over Sakura. She ran off the door step, down the road and then towards Hinata.

"Hinata!" she yelled.

Hinata startled and stopped walking, turned around. Sakura glanced right to left and around Hinata, the alleys making sure no one comes out and grab her. Sakura remembered yesterday night— how she almost got raped by a drunkard— Sakura didn't want this to happen to Hinata. Sakura caught up with Hinata.

"Did you forget something, Sakura chan?" Hinata asked worriedly.

"Yeah." Sakura smiled— for the first time— with relief, "In exchange; I'll go with you to the bon fire if you'll let me walk you home safely."

Hinata stared at Sakura then inched a smile on her face and nodded, "I'd like that."

And so Sakura walked Hinata to her mansion safe and sound, Hinata being the kind and reassuring person offered Sakura a ride back to her place but Sakura refused her offer and promised she'd be careful and go home and give her a call saying she's alright. Hinata nodded unsure then waved good bye.

Sakura walked back to her place, almost there— a hand grabbed her from behind, startling Sakura, she turned around.

"You again!" the drunkard yell, "You did this to me; you're going to get it missy!"

Sakura's eyes widen and thought, I promised Hinata I'd go home safely and call her saying I'm alright! I can't when this drunkard got me in a hold! Bu— BUT!

"No! Let me go!" Sakura shoved the man off her, "Get a life, you old hag!"

The man growled and slapped Sakura straight in the face. Sakura doubled over, holding her face in her hands, she made a terrible cry of pain. The man grabbed her hair, and yelled in her face, "I told you, I don't like smart people!"

Sakura remembered clearly, she hated thinking about the past and so she yell, "Well then, deal with it!" and head butted the man in the stomach. The man inched backwards holding his stomach in pain.

"Bitch!" he yelled at her, spitting in her face.

Sakura smudged off the spit and looked tearfully in the man's face, "You'd be wise to go home! You don't want to cause trouble, do you?"

The man looked at Sakura with widen eyes then glared at her with hate and lust, "No I don't want to cause trouble, but you're making it harder for me if I don't get what I want!"

"Then what do you want old man?" Sakura asked, daringly.

"I didn't get paid for nothing!" the guy sneered to himself.

Sakura twitched, "What? What did you say?"

"Nothing you wretch!" he spit again.

Sakura ran up to the guy, grabbed his collar and pulled his face to hers as she glared deeply into his eyes, "What. Did. You. Say?"

The guy smirked, "I want what I was paid for."

Sakura's eyes widen in shock. Some person paid him to rape her? What? How can this be? Who would do this sort of thing? Who would think of doing such? Who? Who? Who?

"If you're wondering who, I'm not telling unless I get what I want." He spat and then muttered to himself, "Women and their contracts, what a waste."

Sakura let go of the man and stepped a few steps back, shock showing on her face.

He said women? So it was a woman that paid this guy to rape her? But who is this woman?

_Flash back_

"_You are stupid! Why you getting up in my face and telling me you're not being smart when you are!" Sakura's mom yelled at her, grabbing for her hair. Sakura jumped back and cried out, "I'm not! I'm not! Please, I won't do it again!"_

_ "Never do it again, you hear?!" she yelled, as Sakura nodded, crying. Her mom narrowed her eyes, "Or else I'll throw you out in the streets and let some random fellow pick you up and kinks you!" _

_End of flashback_

Mom. That was the only answer that popped into Sakura's mind. The man used this as his advantage to take control over her lifeless body.

"Sakura?" a voice called out from the darkness.


	30. Rated RMish

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! Okay, So I made Ch. 29 long for you guys. I know it went bad. Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 30!**

Ch. 30 – Rated R-Mish

_Mom. That was the only answer that popped into Sakura's mind. The man used this as his advantage to take control over her lifeless body._

_ "Sakura?" a voice called out from the darkness._

Sakura was being dragged by her hair, she squinted her eyes, holding back her tears. She felt nothing, just pain and hurt. How could her mother— her own mom do something to her after all those years?!

A distant call of her name didn't bring her back to reality; it made her think of her past.

_Flash back_

"_Sakura?" called out a sweet voice. Four year old Sakura smiled, a toothy smile, and turned around to see her daddy kneeling outside her door, waiting for her to come forth and hug him. _

_She did. She ran into his arms and hugged him with all she had in her, and then gave him a kiss on his cheek. I love you daddy, she thought._

_ "I got a surprise for you!" he announced, taking out a wrapped up present from his jacket pocket and handed it to Sakura. _

_Sakura looked at it curiously, and then opened it. Her eyes shined as she revealed the present to be a small ring with her birthstone shining back at her. _

_ "You like it?" he asked, looking down at her._

_She beamed at her daddy and nodded, giving her one of his favorite smiles, "Arigatou daddy! I love it, really…but I love you more!"_

_ "I love you too, Sakura." He whispered into her ear and hugged her close and tightly._

_-_

_-_

_-_

_ "Daddy?" Sakura wondered aloud, walked in the dark in the hallway. Sakura had a bad dream as she called for her daddy outside his room, "Daddy?"_

_Sakura heard a moan then a murmur from her mom, trying to hold back her daddy. _

_ "Daddy?" she called aloud, walking quietly to his door, not watching her steps. Daddy, she thought, I __had__ a bad dream, you were in my dream, daddy. You were walking out the door, into this plane— _

_The door opened as Sakura stepped on the top step to the stair case. _

_And your back disappeared into the dark space…_

_Sakura slipped backwards and fell to the depths of the staircase. A loud yell was heard._

_And then you flew into the sky…_

"_SAKURA!"_

_And you didn't come back._

_End of flash back_

"SAKURA!" the voice came louder now, hitting the drunken man over. Sakura sprawled onto the ground.

"Don't you dare touch her, you bastard!" the voice, yells at the old man. The old man coughs and curses, backing away, "Go on or else I'll scream!"

The old man seemed to not understand fully until there were sirens up ahead. The old man staggered away to a dark alley and hid there. The voice came closer to Sakura and touched her shoulder.

"It's gonna be alright, Sakura." The voice soothed the shock Sakura lying on the ground, "It's gonna be alright."

_It's gonna be alright Sakura, I'm here…It's gonna be alright._

"Medic crew! Police here, state your business!" a police officer ran to the voice and Sakura.

"Well, Mr. Nara, I'll be. You changed your mind on becoming a state officer?" says the voice.

"Yes I have, and I don't regret any of it. Now…the real problem is…are you hurt? What happened?" he asked.

"No not me, my daughter, Sakura is. She's in a grave shock of almost being molested by a drunken bastard! He's hiding in that dark alley over there!" the voice said, pointing away from them.

Mr. Nara called up two other police officers as they came trotting over, "Miss…my men will get the man while the medics will treat to you."  
"Ooh, is that you under all that armor, Mr. Uchiha?" the voice asked, "And you too, sir Itachi?"

The two men nodded, shaking hands with the girl. Then the girl shifted her gaze to the medic, "You'll be alright, Sakura."

Sakura's body twitched then Sakura blinked up at Akito and the three officers, "Soy muy buen."

Mr. Nara, Mr. Uchiha, and Akito Kasey blinked confusedly until Itachi explained what she said, "She's speaking in Spanish…she says she's very good."

Mr. Uchiha looked over to his son, "When'd you start taking Spanish?"

"When I was in middle school and high school." He replied.

(A/N: Sorry guys, I just wanted to put that in there. I thought it was funny, lolz.)

"I'm fine!" Sakura said, grunting.

"Sakura?" Akito furrowed her brows, "How can you say you're fine? You almost got molested!"

Sakura sat up, "Uh huh and your point?"

The rest of the team raised a brow. Akito remaining upset, "My point is…what were you thinking?!"

"It's not like I wanted this to happen! The old hag had the chance yesterday but instead I might have gotten it today, and thanks to your saving, I'm fine!"

There's a moment of silence, "…Yesterday?"

Oh god really, Sakura thought, I had to mention that?

Sakura sighed, "Yeah…now it's just a de ja vu to me. Look, I'm not hurt! I wasn't touched! I wasn't raped…so stop worrying over me! I don't want your pity…!"

Sakura stood up, brushed herself off, took a step back dizzily then got a grip, "And you're not my mother!"

Then Sakura walked off, away from the scene, away from the medic, and away from the hurt Akito.

"Well…that went well…" Mr. Nara said, sighing, "Troublesome."

"I know." Akito sighed, and brushed her hand through her hair, "I've been trying all week to stay calm and befriend this girl after she got out from the hospital."

"Hospital?" the three men asked.

Akito nodded, "She got herself into a car accident."

"Kids these days, drinking their lives away…" Mr. Uchiha shook his head, "Son, don't you ever drink while driving!"

"She wasn't drinking…she was hit by a car." Akito re announced.

The three men stood there quietly, watching the Sakura's back disappear into night.

"Well then, there's a disappointment." Akito started, standing up, brushing herself off, "Ima head back to see if she got home safely…"

"What about the medic?"

"Oh, they're still in use. The old man…I slightly…bruised him up. He's about to run if you don't get to him first…" Akito waved her hand behind them.

The two officers turned around, and chased the old man. And man, was the old drunkard fast, lolz.

"Well, let me escort you home, Miss Kasey. I'm sure you don't want to get either kidnapped or raped today!" Mr. Nara laughed, escorting Akito to his car.

Akito rolled her eyes, "Haha not funny, I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

"I'm sure you can." Mr. Nara nodded and drove Akito to her house, "There we are."

"Thank you, Mr. Nara." Akito got out from the car, "Oh and how's your wife?"

"She's fine. My wife says hi..." he sighs, "Doesn't she always?"

"Haha yes. How is Shikamaru?"

"Oh, he's getting the gear on again. He met a new girl at Mimi chan's school. I think he has a crush on her." He whispered.

Akito smirked, "Sure, I think he likes Sakura, I mean she can be a bit on the down and disapproving side…but she's a good kid."

After Mr. Nara hearing Sakura's name said, he did a double take, "Wait! This Sakura?"

Akito nodding while Mr. Nara smirked and shook his head, "She's a tough one."

"Sure is…remind you, never get on her bad side."

"Not me, ma'am, I'll remember to remind my son that."

"I don't think it'll matter for him." Akito laughed, "Trust me, I know these things."

"Anything you say, Kasey." He shook his head and drove off.

Akito made her way inside, locking the door behind her, she climbed upstairs to Sakura's door, inching the door open, finding Sakura cuddled up in a tight corner, weeping silently to herself. Akito crept over to her, knelt and placed her hands around Sakura's shoulder.

"Shh…it'll be alright. Weren't you the one who said, you were alright?" she asked.

Sakura's head snapped up, her eyes red from crying, her tears staining her face, "It's not that!"

"Then what?" Akito asked, "Sakura?"

"I-its m-my…m-my mother." Sakura stuttered, letting out a hurt cry.


	31. Her Story

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys!! Okay, So I made Ch. 30 long for you guys. I know it went bad. Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 31!**

**P.S. – This is long for you confused ppl— you'll understand the story for now.**

Ch. 31 – Her Story

_Sakura's head snapped up, her eyes red from crying, her tears staining her face, "It's not that!"_

_ "Then what?" Akito asked, "Sakura?"_

_ "I-its m-my…m-my mother." Sakura stuttered, letting out a hurt cry._

Shock ran through her veins when she heard Sakura's painful cry. Akito grabbed the child tightly and hugged her with all her might, making Sakura gasp aloud.

"I'm so so sorry, Sakura." She whispered into her ear.

Sakura struggled a bit by her sudden concern and closeness, but Akito hugged her firmly. Sakura finally came to a stiff halt but gradually calmed down.

"Sakura…" Akito's voice soothed Sakura, "Please…tell me your story."

Sakura's eyes flashed a moment before she gave in and nodded. Her story was deep, and even Sakura couldn't handle it. She breathed in slowly then began her story.

_Flashback from the beginning: Sakura's P.O.V._

_My life— considering I was only three at the time, brought attention and happiness until one day, everything turned over. My daddy was a great man, he worked in the agency—clearly boys a few years older than me thought he was a spy— and that meant daddy was popular (really popular and known)._

_And so he married my mother who was a really nice lady and she didn't care what people said or thought at the time, until one day— after getting teased about my pink hair and daddy's red hair brought a huge commotion in the school's playground; one of the mothers talked to my mother telling her something bad._

_I stared off a few feet away, listening— not really meaning to eavesdrop, but the lady was loud._

_ "Why do you bother picking her up? Why do you bother teaching her stuff? Why do you bother even caring about her? Look at her hair! Where does that hair come from anyways?" says one the mothers to mommy, "It's clearly not yours— since you have black, and your husband has red…but your daughter has pink? Where does pink come in?"_

_Mommy looked at her without saying anything, "There's nothing wrong with my daughter, as you can tell, your daughter has green hair…where does that come from?"_

_The lady scoffed, "It's in my genes, came from my grandfather of course. How unusual for you, I've never seen a girl with pink hair before."_

_ "Well then, she's a new discovery, as you can see." Mommy told her off as the lady rolled her eyes._

_ "Now listen up, if you have any critics against me, I'll sue you! I can promise you that." She said before picking up her child and leaving; the rest of the other mothers hesitantly acknowledging her presence. _

_Mommy stood there, a bit pale but glared at the group of mothers before grabbing my arm and dragging me off, "Don't pay attention to them, they no nothing about us!"_

_I nodded, letting myself get dragged about. The next day, the same thing happened once more. Another mother came forth, clearly had a complaint about my behavior._

_ "There must be something really wrong with your child. She barely answers in the class, and my children say she doesn't want to play with them, how odd?" _

_ "Clearly she sees your children vexing as you are to my child!" mommy barked at the lady, "Of course."_

_The lady gasped and glared, "As we can all tell by her behavior, she catches it from you."_

_ "Then she is learning." Mommy said, "Unlike your children, who lack knowledge; I suggest you mind your own business."_

_The next day, I had a parent conference— and oh how bad it was to show up with mommy and other mommies in the back watching. How embarrassing, some would say._

_ "Look at that child's forehead— it's huge."_

_ "She's nothing, wouldn't pass a grade cuz she can't read time."_

_ "Look at that hair, very ugly it is."_

_ "She can't even speak clearly— scratch that; she can barely speak at all."_

_That did it. Mommy was mad but she didn't say anything until we got home. She drew up her sleeves minding the fact daddy was coming home late; she threw a slap at me. My right cheek stung with pain. Then she started yelling at me._

_ "Why!?" she yelled, "How could you do this to me? How could you let our family background be ruin by your own stupidity? Why do you do this to me Sakura? Why do you have to be the black sheep of the family? Why do I even care? Why, Sakura? Why?"_

_Of course, I said nothing. I didn't know what to say; the women were wrong, I could speak…it's just hard to say when it comes out. I swallowed holding my cheek. I'm sorry, I wanted to say._

_ "Speak girl!" she yelled, glaring at me with hatred in her eyes, "Tell me why? Tell me how come I always have to treat you with respect and care while I have to always save you when you're in need of trouble? Tell me something I don't know, huh?"_

_I swallowed. 'Because you're my mom, and you're supposed to act like a mother, you're supposed to support and love and care for your child. You're supposed to always be one's hero like daddy is to me.' I thought. I blinked, staring at her, speechless._

_She pushed me back as I tumbled backwards, trying to get a hold of my foot coordination, I tripped and fell. She narrowed her cold eyes towards me, lifted her hand and reached for my hair, grabbing it, fist full she yanked on it— my head flying up and sideways, shaking, I whimpered in pain. I held my breath, squeezed my eyes shut and then landed onto the ground. Was it over? No._

_She had something in her hands; what was it? I couldn't tell, my hair was all over my face, until I flipped it, my eyes widen at the moment I was hit again. Over and over. My mommy batted me, twice on the shoulder, the back and the legs. And no, it didn't hurt like hell… yet that is until she dragged me— literally down the stairs and into the kitchen. She turned on the stove, heated it to 450 and waited till it was hot. _

_Then she struggled to plant my face into the stove; my will of strength of removing my face landing a direct hit on my mommy's chin and earned me a load of trouble. First, she placed my left arm on the stove as it burnt me, my skin red as it was and then the other arm. I couldn't feel my nerves but I could feel the sting in them. _

_I gulped down a painful cry as she jerked me upstairs into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Cold. She told me to wash myself off, and then dress into a long sleeve shirt and pants then come downstairs for dinner._

_I took a long cold shower, rinsing off the bad air and hot tears that ran down both my cheeks and then I dried myself, limping towards my room, closing it behind me, and then dressed into some long sleeves and pants. Of course, I'd do that— I didn't want my daddy to see the bruises, the burns, the scars. _

_When daddy did come home, he smiled and wrapped his arms around mommy giving her a big kiss. I waited on the first step of the staircase, waiting. I swallowed when he looked up and saw me, motioning with his head for me to come over. I didn't back away— I simply waited till mommy left him to go back to the kitchen then I went to him. He gave me a big tight squeeze hug. I flinched but held it back, smiling up at him. Numb, I felt, but safe in my big daddy's arms. _

_At night, when bedtime came around, daddy tucked me into bed, kissing my big forehead and whispering soothing love words to me. That's what I loved about my daddy. He loved me and I loved him. He loved mommy and I– well, thought about forgiving her and loving her back but it didn't go that way._

_Two years later…_

_Daddy did find out about my scars although mommy said I got them from picking fights at school he wanted me to be home school which also didn't go too well. Mommy was there— always watching me, always beating me with the same bat as before, always lying when daddy comes home "Oh she fell downs the stairs" or "I don't know what happened, I think she ran into the wall…isn't that right, Sakura?" But of course, it didn't last long before daddy noticed other mothers talking trash about me and finally acknowledging my mother. He noticed my pain and so he'd always whispered soothing love words to me before I went to sleep. _

_One night, daddy gave me a present, a beautiful ring, a promise that he'll always be with me wherever he is, if he's far or near, I'll be always thinking of him. Then that night, I had a bad dream. Daddy was going into this airplane, into the darkness as he flew into the sky and he never came back. I called out to him, walked to his room, and when he finally answered yelling my name out— all I found was darkness._

_Daddy was off to war. He had to go to fight for his country; it was all too much for mommy. She couldn't stand being alone with me— same goes with me, but hey, if I could survive with her abuse then I think she can survive my existence. But I didn't think so for daddy. A few days later we found out, that he was held captive by the enemy and then was transported onto a helicopter to go to another base and that the helicopter was bombed and daddy died._

_Mommy was crying for real; although for me, not a single tear was shown during his day of death and his funeral. The other women were scoffing, glaring, and criticizing me because I was so cold and wasn't feeling any sorrow or care in the world that my daddy was killed. That taught me a lesson; mommy beat me more that night, the next and the next— competing with one week then two. I finally cried when someone other than mommy and the other women found me on the ground, struggling to stand up and walk but sadly failed. _

_I cried for daddy, I cried for mommy and I cried for me. I had many questions on my mind ever since I was beaten that first day. Why, was the first question? Why did I deserve this? Why did mommy have to listen to those mean ladies? Why did daddy have to die? Why didn't I cry during his funeral? Why why why? Why is it hard for me to say it aloud? It's because I already have the answers to it all. _

_I deserved nothing for this accurate situation but ever since, now I'm drawn into thinking I actually do deserve this because I was born into a half breed of ugliness with my color of hair and my big forehead— making me a freak. I thought my mommy was the coolest, not caring in the world what people said but apparently I was wrong, and she was fed up with it all. And I did think daddy died because of that one dream I had. I was too caught up with the news that I didn't bothered crying at his funeral showing that I did love him and I still do. Why is it so hard? Because life is hard, and you'll never know what you going to get as soon as it appears and as soon as it's gone. You'll start believing and questioning. It's this hard._

_I was never the type to associate with common people; I was left alone at that. I struggled between home and school. Finally accepted into a good high school, more and more rumors and people hated me, teased me in each and every way till it worsen and they caught me, shot me with a tranquilizer and brought me to this social security facility. I was stoned. How could this happen to me? What did I do? Why did this happen? _

_They questioned me and that's when I stopped saying 'please', 'help', or 'sorry'. Those were the meaningful words I could comprehend mostly. They were my guide and I was their follower. That's how I made it till high school. I was sadden by the fact that I was sent away with the consent of my abusive mother to another school— not just any school, a school for people— scratch that, for freaks like me._

_And that's when it all started—_

_Just_

_After _

_I_

_Left…_

_End of Flashback from the beginning._


	32. Sunday Beach

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys! Okay, So I made Ch. 31 extra long for you guys. Now you know what her life story is. And I know I said a lot of sorries back in some chapters. But this is a really BIG sorry cuz I've actually been working on a new story! Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 32!**

Ch. 32 – Sunday Beach

_And that's when it all started—_

_Just_

_After _

_I_

_Left…_

_End of Flashback from the beginning._

Akito stared at Sakura, sadly— the shocking news wared off after hearing about her daddy. It didn't bother her like some people; she was used to hearing stuff like this from all her other children she has taken cared of.

Sakura's tears didn't stop; they poured down her face, and soon a puddle on the ground has soaked up the rug, damping it. Sakura's face was red and tingling from crying, her eyes were drippy and her nose was drooling with snot. Sakura wiped the back of her hand across her face and sucked in a huge breath, "So now you know."

"Feels good to let it out, yes?" Akito said afterwards.

Sakura shot a glare at her, but in unison, nodded. Akito patted Sakura on the shoulder and knelt up straight, then standing she turned to go, "You'll be alright after a cup of hot tea."

Then she left leaving Sakura, stunned face on the floor. Sakura blinked and stood as well, heading out the room, to the bathroom. She closed the door behind her, opened the toilet lid and let out her all. The feelings she kept: the shame, the embarrassment, the hatred, the absolute, total lack of confidence and betrayal thrown up, and flushed away with a pale looking ghostly face Sakura.

The stairs creaked as Akito held two cups of hot tea once Sakura made her way out from the bathroom. Akito nodded to Sakura's bedroom. Sakura lead the way to her bed.

"Here's your hot tea, hon." Akito passed the cup to Sakura. Sakura took a sip, relieved.

"Arigatou." Sakura nodded at her.

Hinata called when I was making the tea. _Hinata_. I never called her back, thought Sakura. Sakura sighed and nodded.

"I was supposed to call her after I got ho—" _home_, thought Sakura. "Here."

Akito blinked and gave a tiny smile, sipping her cup of tea. Then she stood up, went out then came back with the phone, giving it to Sakura.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me…or anything, or if you just want to talk." Akito walked out the room, closing the door behind her.

Sakura nodded curtly, and looked at the phone in her hands. She closed her eyes for a moment then huffed, and dialed the phone.

"Hyuuga's residence, how may I help you?" says a male voice in the phone.

"…Um yeah, hi. I-it's Sakura." Sakura answered, feeling her forehead, "Um, could I speak to Hinata?"

"Hinata? She's not here at the moment; could I take a message instead?" says the voice.

Sakura shook her head, "No, it's alright."

"Uh huh." Says the voice.

"M-may…" Sakura started.

"Yeah?"

"May I know who's on this line?" Sakura asked, her eyebrows scrunching into suspicion.

"I'm the Hyuuga's personal butler." Says the voice.

Sakura gave a short snort, "Butler? You don't sound like any butler I met."

"I bet you haven't."

"Too bad, I have met lots." Sakura spat.

Then Sakura heard faded voices in the background.

"Neji nii? Who's on the phone?" says a soft voice, "What are you doing?"

"Shuddup!" the male voice spat at the soft voice.

Sakura raised a brow, nodding at her suspicion; the butler was actually Neji pretending to be one, how smart. She rolled her eyes, "Yo pretty boy, lemme talk to your cousin."

"Grrr, I'm not a pretty boy." Neji spat into the phone.

"Well at least I now know you're not the butler…or are you?" Sakura snorted again.

"See Hinata sama? Look what you did; now she knows!"

"What did I do?"

"Feh, here." There was a static in the phone making Sakura take the phone away from her ear.

"Hello." Hinata's soft voice comes in clear.

Sakura takes a breath, "Hi Hinata."

"Eh? Sakura chan!" Hinata gasped, "What happened? Why didn't you call me when you got home?"

Sakura said nothing.

"Sakura chan?"

"I…" _forgot,_ thought Sakura, _I was going to call you but when I got back to my station—. __**I was almost raped. I'm sorry I worried you.**_ "I'm _sorry_ Hinata for worrying you."

Hinata gasped, "Sakura chan…?"

"I…You know what Hinata chan?" Sakura said instead.

"Nani?"

"When is the bon fire?" Sakura chirped.

"Tomorrow evening at five-ish." Hinata said, unsurely. "Are you really okay, Sakura chan?"

"Fine, just fine." Sakura nodded, "When are you leaving, Hinata chan?"

"Four. I want to be a bit early." Hinata replied.

Sakura understood, "K, see you tomorrow."

"OK!" Hinata shouted happily into the phone, "Oh, gomen. Arigatou Sakura chan, for reconsidering."

"Yeah well…I just can't let you flirt with all the boys there." Sakura joked.

Hinata flustered into the phone, "Eh?"

"Kidding, Hinata chan." Sakura laughed, "Ok, talk to you tomorrow then."

"Oh yes. And," Hinata paused, "We'll talk about it when you're ready, Sakura chan."

Sakura was about to reply back when Hinata quickly said bye and hung up. Sakura sighed and rubbed her head.

"Well, it can't be helped." Sakura nudged her eyes and climbed into her bed, uncovered, fell into a dazed sleep.

The next morning, Sakura awoke from the clear sunshine sprouting behind her curtains. Sakura yawned, and leaped out of bed. She roams through the drawers for some clothes. She chose to wear comprees and a T-shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and walked into the bathroom to wash up.

There was a knock on the door, then a voice, "Neh, Sakura? You're up this early?"

"Yeah." Sakura replied.

"It's a beautiful day today; you going out with your friends and Hinata chan? She's such a sweet girl." Akito replied behind the door.

_Neh. Sweet girl + actress = mysterious. Na ah, bad!_ Thought Sakura, chuckling.

"Well then, just leave me a call. My number is on the kitchen table." She said before approaching the stairs.

"Eh? W-wait…" Sakura started, opening the door to poke her head out. She saw Akito stop on the top step, "Where are you going?"

"Out, why? Are you worried about me?" Akito chuckled, sticking her tongue out with a peace sign to go with it.

Sakura smiled, "Yeah, now answer my question."

Akito sighed, "Why should I tell you? You don't care about my prob—"

Sakura analyzed her face quickly, snatching a slight tinted blush forming under her eyes. Sakura smirked, a brow rose, "Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

"What for then?"

"Just an outing."

"Is he sweet?"

"Yes."

"What's his name?"

"Kaka— eh?"

Sakura's eye brows wiggled, winning another point; Akito scratched the back of her head.

"Sakura…" she said in a sing song tone, "Neh, what did you mean?"

"Oh nothing by it. I just simply wanted to know who he is, what his name, his background is. You know the usual stuff an older sister wants to know about the sibling's date."

Akito sweat dropped and thought, _older sister_? "Well then, I'll be on my way. Have a good day Sakura. Don't—"

"Oh don't worry about me, Akito Sama. Just watch out for any rapist lurking around." Sakura gasped and placed a hand to her lips, "Oh ho, did I say rapist? I meant stalker."

Sakura smirked, closing the door while eyeing an embarrassed Akito. Sakura leant onto the door, and muttering, "Priceless."

Outside, Sakura pulled on her sweater and walked up the hill towards the direction of the beach. But then thought twice of what happened yesterday. Being the good little girl she is, Sakura wondered if she should pick up Hinata and walked to the beach together instead but then she thought of the conversation she had with Hinata the other night on the phone.

Sakura racked her brain but then sighed, shrugging she found herself already at the beach. It was too early for the bon fire, but Sakura was too bored to stay at her temporarily 'home'.

Sakura walked across the sand towards the water. No one was up this early to go swimming. Sakura looked around. An elderly was walking his dog on the sidelines of the beach, saw Sakura and waved. Sakura— inching towards the water, waved awkwardly back at him. The guy went back to his business, Sakura sighing in relief.

Sakura then jumped by the sudden impulse of cold water surrounding her feet. Sakura then walked more than three feet into the water. She looked down. She remembered a story her father used to tell her when he was still alive.

_Once there was a boy who loved the sea that one day he discovered a magical sea shell. He placed it near his ear and heard a loving voice call from it. He then fell in love with the voice, but he didn't know who the voice was from. Each day, he would go to the sea and each time he'd fine a sea shell, he'd hear the beautiful voice calling for him, yearning._

_One day, he asked aloud, "How do I know where to find you?" He placed the shell to his ear and the voice spoke, "You already have found me. All you have to do is turn around." And so the boy's back turned around to the sea, and there in the middle of the sea was a girl, waving, giggling. He was amazed at the sight, how beautiful the girl looked even if she was in water. _

"_A mermaid?" he called out. He saw her pick up the shell she was using and whispered into it. The shell in his ear spoke, "Neh, this is the only way I can communicate with humans like your self. So, please, don't forget me." He nodded, still taken aback, he them smiled at her, and hers in return. And so then on, their friendship grew into a very lovely yearning ending. _

Snapping out from her thoughts, Sakura huffed and walked out from the water, and onto the middle of the beach. She sat down upon a rock. She glanced to the side, and surprisingly found a big shell. She picked it up gently, hoping not to drop it. She placed it near her ear and listened to the hollow wave of silence. She chuckled sadly, just a story, she thought, nothing comes from fairytales.

And so the day wore on, evening came about. Sakura watched as the ocean roar, its waves crashing into the blue. The glittering of the water reflecting off the sun became a beautiful sight for Sakura. She was awed and smiled to the extent of crying in joy.

"Sakura chan!" a voice interrupted.

Sakura looked up, finding Naruto jumping up and down, running towards her, followed by three other boys.

"Wow, Sakura chan, you're early!" he said.

Sakura nodded and turned her direction to the others approaching her, "Oh look it's the butler and his friends."

"Butler, nani?" Naruto tilted his head to the side, confusedly.

"Shuddup pinky." Neji muttered, clearly he had a big vexed sign on his forehead.

Sakura smirked, "Well, how what I supposed to know since you acted like you really wanted to be the Hyuuga's personal 'maid'?"

The three boys looked at Neji then at Sakura then back at Neji. Question marks resented from them.

"Oh you didn't tell them?" Sakura smirked up at Neji.

"It was just a joke." Neji sputtered, flushed.

Sakura shrugged, "Didn't hang onto me long enough for me to figure it was you."

"Yeah, you're slow." Neji pointed out, "Ne, can't you guess I'm an actor too?"

"Now that you mentioned it, where's Hinata? Clearly, she would go with you to the bon fire." Sakura wondered.

"Yeah well!" Neji huffed at Sakura, "No one asked you."

Sakura shrugged and turned her direction to Shikamaru. He yawned. Then she turned her attention to Sasuke. He glared down at her with an annoyed look. She didn't steer. She stared. He became uneasy. She kept staring and then she shook her head and turned her direction back to the sea. She then thought, doesn't look like his brother at all.

"Hn." He replied, like as if he was answering her thought.

Sakura hugged her knees and huffed out a big sigh. She then put down the big shell she was holding in her lap onto the sand. She stood up, "So then, what about this bon fire?"


	33. Gomenasai

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys! Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 33!**

Ch. 33 – Gomenasai

_Sakura hugged her knees and huffed out a big sigh. She then put down the big shell she was holding in her lap onto the sand. She stood up, "So then, what about this bon fire?"_

"If you must know," Naruto started, "we're celebrating…RAMEN day!"

Everyone sweat dropped. Sakura raised a brow, "Ramen day? What's that?"

Naruto's mouth dropped, "You don't know what ramen day is? Now, now, Sakura, ramen day is a traditional day for everyone—"

"Just him." The others whispered.

"—we always have a bon fire at this spot." Naruto continued his long ramen speech, "And so when I die, everyone will continue this culture and remembrance of the one who started it all."

"Lemme guess…you." Sakura pointed up at Naruto.

"Now Sakura chan, don't be rational." Naruto's face turned serious than changed into a kid like happy face, "Yes! Everyone will know my name and respect me!"

Sakura thought about this then smirked, "But how can they respect you when you're dead?"

The other boys smirked. Naruto frowned, thinking hard, "Well then, that's a toughie."

"Figure that out and tell me your answer at the end of the bon fire when everyone's going home." Sakura chuckled, shaking her head, knowing he'd forget after he sees Hinata coming up behind him.

"Hey guys!" Hinata smiled, tapping Naruto on the shoulder, making him freak out.

"Eh? Hi, Hinata chan!" he blushed.

Everyone noticed. Hinata giggled nervously, "Hi Naruto kun."

"Hi Hinata chan." He blushed harder.

Their HI's repeatedly continued as Sakura and the three boys snuck off to the bon fire area.

"Do they always do that?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah." Shikamaru nodded, "Whenever you want Naruto to forget something, bring Hinata with you just in case."

Sakura laughed. Shikamaru smirked. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Shikamaru. Neji glared at Sakura. Sakura settled down, and looked at the ocean. What a sight!

Soon after, the real bon fire began. After Naruto and Hinata noticed the others ditched them; they embarrassedly gathered the remaining for the bon fire feast and waited for everyone to come. And as on cue, the other people arrived.

In all there was Gaara, Mimi chan, Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru, Sakura, Hinata, and the boys' friends: Ino (seemed to be all over Sasuke), TenTen (challenges Neji to everything he says), Temari (claims that all boys including Shikamaru is retarded), and Lee (the most youthful clown standing out plus Naruto).

Sakura had never laughed with this many people around, especially those she didn't know. Her laugh subsided when she glanced to the side and met Mimi chan's eyes for a second. Sakura knew it hurt and that she hurt Mimi chan. But Mimi chan doesn't understand what Sakura has been through. Only Akito knows…now.

Mimi chan ignored Sakura and stood up, and walked off towards the water. Sakura remained silent and watching.

"Sasuke! You're such a flirt!" Ino squealed, as she held her face.

Sakura chuckled but not in likes of Ino, just hearing that of Sasuke being a flirt. No way! Sasuke rolled his eyes, shaking his bangs over them. Ino squealed and blushed.

"Neji, if you dare, I will shove this stick up your—" TenTen shouted, pointing a stick across the fire at Neji who was busy smirking at her.

There was too much going on. Temari was even having a glaring contest with Shikamaru although Sakura betted she'd lose against him. Sakura scanned the crowd who were chatting, eating, texting, making out, flirting or even reading a book.

Gaara noticed Sakura's curiosity; he gazed at her without her knowing. His eyes traveled from her head to her hoodie to her hands which were shaking unnoticed. She must be either nervous or cold from the breeze, he thought, but she's wearing a hoodie.

Sakura caught him gazing, he looked away quickly. She stood up and decided to join Mimi chan. She wanted to make one thing straight and that is to—

"Mimi chan…?" Sakura swallowed before speaking.

Mimi chan turned around in the water. Sakura paused before joining Mimi chan.

"We have to talk." She said.

"I know." Mimi chan nodded.

"I mean, I have something to say…to discuss." Sakura went on.

"I know." Mimi chan replied.

Sakura took a breath then began, "Um, it's been awhile since we talked…"

"I know." Mimi chan whispered.

"I just wanted to say…" Sakura began, "Mimi chan, it's not what you think!"

"I know." Mimi chan huffed.

"Nani?" Sakura asked confused, "What do you mean 'I know'?"

Mimi chan looked Sakura straight in the eye, "You don't want to hurt my feelings."

"Well yeah—" Sakura agreed.

"And you want to get it over with." Mimi chan added.

"Yeah that too." Sakura included.

"And it's hard for you to say it, and it's hard for me to accept it." Mimi chan said, looking aside at the others enjoying the bon fire behind Sakura.

"Well it wasn't easy." Sakura had to admit, shrugging.

Mimi chan scrunched her face, "You want to break our friendship! You don't want to be my friend because of that night; I know! I thought about it every night ever since that night, and I'm sorry!"

"Huh?" Sakura looked at her with widen eyes.

"Just say it, it's over!" Mimi chan huffed, looking away.

Sakura looked at her, her face turning pale. Sakura swallowed, her eyes misted with tears, she then smiled at Mimi chan, "That's right."

Mimi chan gasped and looked up at Sakura.

"It's over." Sakura began, trailing her hand into the water, "Ever since that night…it's in the past, its over."

Mimi chan blinked. Sakura continued, "But that's not what I'm here to say. Mimi chan, I'm sorry."

Mimi chan yet again gasped, looking straight at Sakura, "What?"

"I'm _really_ am sorry. I'm _sorry_ that I got you worked up, I'm _sorry_ for yelling at you that night, I'm _sorry_ for worrying you, I'm _sorry_ that you think that. Mimi chan... _Gomenasai_, please still be _my_ friend again! Let's start over again!"

Mimi chan froze in knee length in the water, her face blazing red, her nose warmed up, her eyes scrunched as if anger had arose, her lips twitching, her shoulder blades shaking, her hands gripping her shirt.

She then took a step towards Sakura. Sakura shaking from yelling her apologies to Mimi chan, gasped as Mimi chan rushed through the water at her, flung herself on Sakura, water splashing everywhere. Mimi chan cried out, "Oh Sakura, you! You!"

"Is that a—" Sakura began to think negatively; worriedly, she was going to cry if Mimi chan said no.

"No." Mimi chan bowed her head. Sakura's eyes widen, her heart shattered, it hurt when Mimi chan said no, of course now she knew how it felt for Mimi chan when Sakura dissed her that night.

"I think that's a brilliant idea!" Mimi chan beamed up at Sakura, hugging her tightly, "Let's start over again!"

Sakura had burst into tears, not knowing what to feel right now, either guilty or happy, but she could only stick to one: relief wash over her. Sakura gleamed along with Mimi chan. We're friends again, they thought.

"Really?" Sakura laughed, splashing water on Mimi chan.

Mimi chan gasped at the coldness when it hit her body, "Eek! Yes!"

"Well, you have a weird way of showing it!" Sakura laughed, along with Mimi chan.

Without their knowing, the others were watching the scene before their very eyes.

"Hey, any one wants some RAMEN!" Naruto yelled out to everyone.


	34. Strike Three

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys! Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 34!**

Ch. 34 – Strike Three

_Without their knowing, the others were watching the scene before their very eyes. _

"_Hey, any one wants some RAMEN!" Naruto yelled out to everyone. _

Everyone just ignored him except Hinata who giggled at Naruto. The boys rolled their eyes and the girls just glared at the boys. Gaara strolled over towards the two girls in the water.

"Hey, Sakura, you got something on your hair." Gaara smirked.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Gaara, "Stop joking!"

"Omg! Sakura chan! You really do have something in your hair! Something black, eek! It's a crab!" Mimi chan quickly picked at the crab and threw it behind them where it 'plop'-ed into the water.

Sakura's eye twitched, "GAARA!"

And so the bon fire settled to a calm fun peaceful event for Naruto and the others (well lets just say they did). Also Sakura— after getting the crab outta her hair, drowned Gaara under the sea. Of course this didn't last long. And it was yet another week of school for Sakura and her now called friends.

Sakura was behaving stoic and tough as always just like when she first arrived at school. The halls were full of fan girls awaiting a turn to see Gaara walk past them. They giggled and some fall over anime style in love at the sight. His hair mockingly flipped back, revealing the heart shape tattoo on the side of his forehead. His eyes divertingly wavered, ignoring his fans. He walked rather slowly but quickly, his pace was even with his breath.

Sakura and her two friends watched and chuckled at the same time, Sakura rolling her eyes, Hinata and Mimi chan giggling at the sight of Gaara running from his fan girls.

At lunch was a big bomber, Sakura was being humiliated by Karin, Gaara's so called 'cheater' (xD) or pumpkin (in Korea, pumpkin = ugly).

"I heard you had crabs the other day!" Karin snickered.

Sakura glared at her, "What's it to you?"

Mimi chan and Hinata chan were getting their food so Sakura was left at the table waiting while Karin and her friends interrogated her.

"Oh me, oh my. Nothing, of course." Karin flipped her hair back; her friends snickered at the gesture.

"Then why are you up on me?" Sakura tightened her glare on Karin before rolling her eyes.

Karin's friends' hmp-ed looking at Karin for another jest of teasing towards Sakura, but there was none.

"Just heard, that's all." Karin smirked.

Then like heaven lost an angel, Gaara appeared, drenched with spilt water on his shirt. Karin and his fans gasped, stared wide eyed and squealed. Gaara cringed at the sight, leaving Sakura entertained.

"Karin." Gaara nodded his head at her.

Karin smiled sweetly at Gaara, "Oh Gaara, I'd thought you'd never say it, but you did, and I'm so happy!"

What's with this girl, Sakura thought, and such an over obsessed fan girl.

Karin continued, "Oh Gaara kun! Why, what happened to you? You're, you're all wet!"

"Oh yeah, another dump in the ass." He muttered, making Karin glare behind him to no one.

"Who did it!" she cried out, "Who dare asked you?"

Gaara rolled his eyes, "No one Kary."

Sakura did a double take, did he just called Karin, Kary?

"Awww, you did it again! You're so kawaii Gaara kun, lets go to my house after school!" Karin giggled at Gaara.

In Sakura's mind, she was gagging. In Gaara's prevision, he saw Sakura's disgusted face.

Karin noticed too.

"Mind you new girl, Gaara and I dated before." Karin smirked at her triumph.

"Oh dear me, I— don't give a care!" Sakura added.

Karin's smirk turned into a frown, "Which also means you can't have him since he's taken. We're so called an item."

"Didn't you just hear me, I don't give a care!" Sakura narrowed her eyes still at Karin.

Gaara seemed to be enjoying this, he let it continued.

"I heard! I'm just making sure you know it." Karin spats.

"I know already. You're the girl who cheats on him when he's not around, I get i— oops! Did I say that aloud, my bad!" Sakura gasps and covers her mouth with her hand.

Karin and her friends' mouth drop open— they might as well swallow a fly if they keep that up.

"How dare you!" they said, "Karin is like the best girl friend; she wouldn't cheat on someone she's going out. Truly you must have misheard, you ignorant new girl!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and shrugged, "Yeah well, I know these things."

"Oh yes, because you've done it too." Karin spat at Sakura.

Sakura stayed quiet for a moment or two. Karin added another few points to triumph. Gaara watched in amusement.

"Well you wouldn't know, now would you?" Sakura asked.

Karin bit her lip and glared down at Sakura.

"Why don't you ask Gaara then? He'd know." Sakura turned her head towards Gaara. Karin did the same.

"WHAT!" Karin screamed. The whole school trembled at her voice. The cafeteria silenced and everyone's head turned towards the group.

"You dated this new girl?" Karin snapped at Gaara, red faced. (A/N: Gaara and Sakura have never dated, mind you).

Gaara stayed silent. Sakura huffed, "Omg really, you had to ask that?"

"How dare you touch my Gaara kun? He's mine! You can't have him!" Karin shouted at Sakura, yanking Gaara to her.

Gaara stayed like a rag doll being tossed about. Sakura narrowed her eyes at Karin, "That's not my fault! And no he's not yours. He can be with whoever he wants to!"

"Shut up bitch!" Karin yelled at Sakura.

"Who are you calling bitch, bitch?" Sakura stood up, facing Karin, nose to nose.

Sakura glanced back and saw her friends approaching slowly to see what's up. Karin shoved Sakura, who wasn't paying attention and stumbled back. She straightened up and glared dead on at Karin.

"Why are you pushing me?" She shouted Karin, "Why are you bullying the new girl?"

"Shut up, you don't deserve Gaara kun!" Karin didn't seem to grasp the term 'I-don't-give-a-care-about-Gaara'.

"Sakura, leave Kary alone." Gaara teased, making it harder for Sakura.

"What, it's her." Sakura pointed at Karin.

"Please Sakura, how could Kary be cheating on me when—" Gaara started when Karin interrupted.

"Yeah!"

"He was saying something before you interrupted." Sakura added, earning a glare, "Wait! Gaara, were you going to say you and Karin weren't going out in the first place and that Karin misleads you and so you lead her to even think that she thought that you and she were going out? Man, what troubles do you regret?"

Karin, the girls and Gaara twitched. Sakura smirked, adding points.

"Sakura, I do not know what you're talking about?" Gaara gritted through his teeth.

"Yeah! You should apologize to Gaara kun and me?" Karin pointed a finger in Sakura face.

Sakura got fed up, "Whatever."

Karin gasped and turned to plead at Gaara for how Sakura was so rude towards them.

"Maybe you should." Gaara sighed.

Sakura saw a hidden disappointment and thought Gaara was going to easy on Karin but then an idea clicked in Sakura's mind.

"What if I refuse?" Sakura minded.

"I rather you not!" Karin spat at her. Gaara holding onto Karin's arm gripped her from lashing at Sakura.

"And what does Gaara say in this?" Sakura turned to Gaara, smirking inwardly.

Gaara didn't notice her smirk, "I have no mind in what you're talking about Sakura."

"Then mind you, Gaara _kun_. I was just thinking— you and Karin have a lot of deeds behind you. Had you done it?" Sakura grin, mischievously.

"What! You're asking him that! That is soo tmi." Karin blurted.

"Aa, so it is true." Sakura grinned, wolfishly. "I just heard."

"What's true is nothing but a rumor." Gaara nodded, darting a glare at Sakura.

"Suit yourself." Sakura shrugged, "Mind you _Kary_, I wouldn't care if you got AIDS."

The room went in a whisper of silent snickers. Karin's jaw dropped, her girls slightly hid a giggle but also saved a life by glaring at Sakura. Gaara's face reddened.

"What do you mean?" Karin huffed.

"Oh, just ask your boyfriend." Sakura smirked.

Karin snapped her head towards Gaara, in disbelief. Gaara looked at Sakura then at Karin then back at Sakura.

"Explain specifically, I want to know exactly what she meant by AIDS, Gaara Kun." Karin spat, crossing her arms.

Sakura chuckled let me help you with that turning to Gaara, grinning from ear to ear.

"Have you been circumcised?" Sakura asked. Everyone froze. His fan girls froze, the teachers and even time seemed to freeze.


	35. You Got Served

J.A.I.L.

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto.

**Hi guys! I just came back from summer vacation and I missed all of you! I think you guys deserve to know what happens next! Gimme feedback! Here's Ch. 35!**

Ch. 35 – You Got Served

_Sakura chuckled let me help you with that turning to Gaara, grinning from ear to ear._

"_Have you been circumcised?" Sakura asked. Everyone froze. His fan girls froze, the teachers and even time seemed to freeze._

Gaara on the other hand, stood aside from his gaping, well-shocked audience, he was quiet for a moment, and "I have no comment to that."

Everyone gasps. Sakura stares at Gaara in disbelief, he actually agreed. Oh, of course, he wouldn't really tell anyone since it was tmi for him. Although, they have been in much worse incidents, this had got to Gaara more than he expected in having teased Sakura in front of his slutty girlfriend. Advance as Sakura is, Gaara just got served, by a girl.

"Of course you don't, it is true." Sakura intended to lead her theory of a question to the level of embarrassing him more to the fact that he deserves it, "It's not just a question but a fact."

Gaara craned his neck at Sakura as she circled him and Karin, "I have no intention to answer your ridiculous hypothesis, just so you can accuse me of such nonsense."

"It's not nonsense unless it's true." Sakura urged on, wiggling her eye brows playfully.

"You have underestimated me, Sakura." He said, his brow twitching, "I would have expected much more from you, but this…this is too much for your little entertainment."

"Oh, I'm quite enjoying it myself, actually." She says, smirking, "So, why not answer and get it over with?"

Gaara sighed, and narrowed his eyes at the giggling boys in the cafeteria line, mocking him with ease, "As you wish." But he remained silent.

"Omg, is this a debate or a game of who can be the quietest? Hm? I want answers now, Gaara!" Karin stomped her foot and crossed her arms, clearly she was waiting for an answer.

What, no '_kun'_? Thought Sakura, smirking inwardly.

"Hurry, Miss Little-Impatient-Bee-Otch is waiting for your reply." Sakura teased.

"I'm going to choose to ignore that, you little toad." She shot a snare at Sakura, as she turned away and shrugged.

"I think she can wait." Gaara says, calmly, "Like you can wait for two years."

"Oh you mean, more than two years." Sakura stated, in fact.

"I'll tell you when you tell me your answer." He said.

Sakura stopped what she was thinking and snapped her head to him, "And what's that supposed to mean? My question doesn't have to do with the question I gave you."

"Exactly." He smirked before walking towards the lunchroom doors, "If you 'gave' me the question, you clearly didn't 'ask' for it." Then he walked out.

Sakura stood near Karin who leant on a table, her skirt resting between the crack of the next table and the rest of the audience was silent until Sakura responded lowly, "True…sad, but true."

"Now what! He left." Karin threw her arms into the air and then she turned sharply to Sakura, "You! You know, don't you? That's why you asked it! Tell me, is he circumcised?"

Sakura stared at her for a moment before shrugging, "Dunno. Guess you'll have to figure that out by yourself." She then walked over to her table, and waved her friends over.

Karin tore away from the table, ignoring a few of the younger graders giggling behind her, and threw a pointing finger at Sakura, "Well?" clearly not listening to me, "Is he or is he not?"

Sakura just mustered a short answer to her question, "Maybe he is and maybe he isn't."

The room went back to its normal routine, eating and talking. Sakura went back to eating her lunch. Mimi chan and Hinata whispered to themselves and began to giggle, and then all of a sudden as Karin began to huff away, her crew leading the way; Mimi chan called her.

The room dispersed into hush whispers and giggles.

Karin stomped her foot and snapped her direction towards Mimi chan, "What clown-face? Are you going to show me one of your new face-expressions?"

"Nope!" Mimi chan, "But you are."

"Whatever!" Karin rolled her eyes as her friends gasped in shock.

"Mind you, your skirt is flipped up into your white lacy-thong-like pantyhose!" Mimi chan laughed out loud, waving her hand at Karin.

Karin's face turned beet red as she turned around trying to look behind her, giving a big show of her panties and half of her butt sticking out. She was like a dog chasing her tail.

Everyone in the room burst into tearful laughter. The noise rose, even the teachers couldn't help but join in. It was the humor of the day. And Karin was getting most of it. Probably someone will post a video of her from their phone and post it on facebook or worst myspace!

Karin whined to her fellow crew to help her since she was too ashamed to do it herself. The crew slowly but hurriedly ran to her side, but Karin kept moving and they moved with her. They tried telling her to stand still but if she did, everyone will get a clear shot at looking! Finally, they release her skirt from her panties and Karin huddled in the middle of her crew and stormed out.

Only did some certain people miss out on this live action, bad timing for Gaara! Sakura shook her head.

"Well, that was…amusing. Too bad the boys weren't here to see it." Hinata said, Mimi chan still gasping from her battles of giggles, agreed.

"Nice going, Mimi chan, you totally served her!" Sakura high five Mimi chan.

"Arigatou, Sakura chan. Oh, don't worry, Hinata chan, I got it all on video." She held up her cell phone, "I think the boys would be earnest to know—"

Hinata and Sakura most likely coughed 'see', interrupting Mimi chan.

"— the details." She finished, snickering.

The three girls gave out a laugh and then finished their meals before leaving the lunchroom and heading outside.

"If I was our teacher Jaraiya, I'd probably enjoy this much as any boy in this school." Hinata blurted out.

Sakura and Mimi chan stared at Hinata, wondrous. Hinata thought over what she said and blushed.

"Well, if you were Naruto, then I think you would have no problem in doing so." Mimi chan insisted, with a giggle.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Naruto? He'd do that, wouldn't he? I'd probably think of our teacher, Mr. Ssssssssssnake dude."

"Orichimaru sensai?" Mimi chan thought aloud, "He's not that bad…"

Sakura and Hinata looked at Mimi chan as if she gone mad.

"W-well, when you say it that way, Yesss." She spoke quickly, giving them a nervous laugh.

They shook their heads in amusement, "And ups on watching the vid again?"

Sakura and Hinata shrugged and gathered round Mimi chan as she replayed the video of Karin's catastrophe, "I bet you this incident will be on the school's morning page by tomorrow!"

"You bet, and everyone who missed out will get the scoop!" Sakura chirped in, watching Karin's distorted expression when she cries out towards her crew.

Hinata shakes her head, "This is just…wrong."

"Just wrong, indeed." They all agreed.

As if on cue, the bell rung for lunch break is over and back to classes. The three ran towards their separate classes, hoping for the day to end where the three can meet again and discuss.

Sakura didn't make it in time, for she sat near the front, the third seat from her teacher's desk.

"As you all may know, we just had a little incident in the cafeteria and apologize that it will not affect your studies. And if it does disrupt your studying, then I advise you, your homework won't be pretty." Says Anko, the teacher of Chemistry.

Sakura waited, "What kind of incident may I ask?"

"Nothing of your concern!" Anko snapped, "You new girl, have no further questions… Now, class, turn your textbooks to—"

"What if we were there?" Sakura asked, urgently, "Could you tell us at least what the title is called?"

"No! No, no, it's not needed. If you were there, then you already know." She says.

"B-but—" Sakura insisted, so curious that the whole class was looking forward in persistence.

Finally, Anko sensai gave in and rolled her eyes to the side, "It's probably going to say something so disastrous in the morning newspaper that will meet the eye of those who…either envy her, loath her, and maybe despise her."

"Hm, vile as it seems, I think you're my favorite teacher…for now." Sakura smiles sweetly.


End file.
